In it Jorge Chavez International AirportPeruvian authorities detained a 28-year-old Korean citizen who was trying to leave the country with an unusual shipment: It carried 320 tarantulas, 110 centipedes and nine bullet ants.all hidden in small plastic bags reinforced with adhesive tape and hidden in two belts attached to his torso.
According to the authorities’ first investigations, the species had apparently been illegally extracted from the Peruvian Amazona region rich in biodiversity that often becomes a target for wildlife traffickers.
The intervention was possible thanks to the collaboration between the National Forestry and Wildlife Service (Serfor), the Ministry of Agrarian Development and Irrigation, the National Police of Peru (PNP) and customs personnel.
Specialists identified 35 adult tarantulas of the species Pamphobeteus antinoucharacterized by their large size, in addition to 285 young tarantulas of the family Theraphosidaeall species native to the Peruvian jungle.
110 centipedes of the species were also found Scolopendra sp. and nine bullet ants (Paraponera clavata), which, due to their smaller size, were stored in small plastic containers.
Walter Silvawildlife expert Serforpointed out that these species are threatened in Peru and that their capture and export are part of a lucrative illegal wildlife trade, a global business that moves millions of dollars annually.
The operation was carried out on November 8, when airport security agents noticed a strange lump around the passenger’s abdomen when passing through controls. After asking him to lift his shirt, they found the belts where the animals were camouflaged. The National Police arrested the offender, while the Environmental Prosecutor’s Office (FEMA) launched a formal investigation.
The animals, which were in overcrowded conditions and without adequate ventilation, were handed over to Serfor for care. According to the authorities, the cargo came from Madre de Dios, a region that is a recurring target of these illegal practices.
Silva warned that animal trafficking increases around the Christmas holidays, when international demand for exotic species as pets or for private collections skyrockets, reaching high prices in the market. He also warned about the increasingly ingenious techniques used by traffickers to evade security at airports and borders.
