Man Caught Smuggling 300 Tarantulas Tied to Body at Airport

lima - A South Korean man was arrested in Peru for attempting to smuggle over 300 tarantulas out of the country tied to his body. Security at Lima airport noticed 'noticeable bumps' and stopped him.

A 28-year-old South Korean man was arrested in Peru for attempting to smuggle over 300 tarantulas out of the country. The arachnids were tied to his body as he tried to pass through airport security in the capital city of Lima. Security officials noticed 'noticeable bumps' around his abdomen and intervened, as reported by American news outlet ABC.

Reportedly, the man had packed more than three hundred tarantulas, around one hundred centipedes, and nine bullet ants (the most poisonous ants in the world) in plastic bags, intending to smuggle them to South Korea. Upon inspection, it was discovered that the noticeable bumps were hundreds of animals crammed together.

Pilar Ayala, a biologist at the Peruvian National Forestry and Wildlife Service, stated, 'He had locked them all in small zip-lock bags and tied them around his body with two belts.' The man has been arrested, and all the animals have been handed over to animal protection services.

Tarantulas are highly profitable for smugglers. Rare specimens can fetch hundreds of euros each. 'They are very attractive to smugglers because they have a long lifespan (some live up to thirty years) and females do not reproduce often,' said Chris Hamilton, a professor of entomology at the University of Idaho, to the BBC.