Authorities in Peru have detained three travelers after discovering more than 3,000 tarantulas hidden inside socks within their luggage. The discovery was made on November 3 at an airport in Callao, Peru, as the individuals were preparing to board a flight to Germany.
The travelers included two German citizens and one Polish citizen. Peru's National Forestry and Wildlife Service (Serfor) reported that an anonymous tip led authorities to search the suitcases. Inside, officials found between 15 and 22 socks packed in each bag, concealing spiders of various species and developmental stages, from eggs to adults.
Cora Suarez, a wildlife forestry control technician with Serfor, stated that the tarantulas are often sought after by collectors due to their size and colors. The three individuals were detained by Peru's environmental crimes police and now face criminal proceedings led by a specialized environmental prosecutor's office.
Wildlife smuggling attempts are often driven by market demand, according to Keith Jeffries, a former federal security director at Los Angeles International Airport. He noted that while airport screening primarily focuses on security threats like weapons and explosives, unusual items can sometimes be discovered. This incident echoes past discoveries, including a case in August where about 200 lizards, some endangered, were found packed in socks at Tokyo's Haneda Airport. Previous wildlife seizures have also included exotic turtles and nearly 100 exotic birds.