Peruvian Authorities Arrest Man Smuggling 320 Spiders

A Korean national was detained at Lima airport attempting to illegally transport endangered species to Asia.

The suspect, a 28-year-old Korean man, was caught at Lima's Jorge Chávez International Airport with 320 tarantulas hidden under his clothing.
Alongside the tarantulas, authorities found 110 centipedes and nine giant tropical ants, all concealed in plastic bags and containers.
These animals are native to the Peruvian Amazon and are considered endangered, making their capture and transport illegal.
The illegal wildlife trade is a lucrative global business, often intensifying around the holiday season as exotic pets are in higher demand.
Wildlife expert Walter Silva from Peru's National Forest and Wildlife Service highlighted that such smuggling operations are frequently intercepted by customs officials.