Traveler’s swollen belly hid over 300 tarantulas, Peru officials say. He’s arrested
A South Korean traveler tried leaving Peru with hundreds of tarantulas, centipedes and ants strapped to his body, officials said. He was stopped at airport security and arrested.
The 28-year-old man’s swollen belly caught the attention of security personnel at Jorge Chávez International Airport in Lima on Nov. 8, Peru’s National Forest and Wildlife Service said in a Nov. 13 news release. Officials asked him to lift his shirt and saw he had on two belts filled with hundreds of packaged animals.
The plastic bags were taped shut and held 320 tarantulas, 110 centipedes and nine bullet ants, officials said. Photos show a few of these animals confiscated by authorities.
Officials accused the man of trying to smuggle the animals out of the country and sell them.
The collection of animals included 35 large, hand-sized tarantulas and 285 baby tarantulas, authorities said.
Officials did not specify if the animals were alive or dead, but video footage from the Associated Press shows a few of the adult tarantulas moving.
All of the confiscated animals are native to Peru, and some, such as the tarantulas, are considered endangered, Walter Silva, a wildlife specialist with the department, said in the release.
The traveler was stopped on his way to South Korea via a transfer in France, officials said. He was arrested, but authorities did not say what charges he’s facing.
An investigation into the incident is ongoing.
Google Translate was used to translate the news release from Peru’s National Forest and Wildlife Service.
This story was originally published November 20, 2024 at 7:56 AM with the headline "Traveler’s swollen belly hid over 300 tarantulas, Peru officials say. He’s arrested."
