Man Arrested for Smuggling Tarantulas in Peru

A 28-year-old South Korean man was arrested at Lima's Jorge Chavez International Airport for attempting to smuggle over 320 tarantulas, 110 centipedes, and 9 bullet ants strapped to his body. Security officials became suspicious when they noticed the man's unusually swollen abdomen during routine checks. The suspect concealed the creatures in small plastic bags secured with girdles, which were intended to be smuggled to South Korea. With spider smuggling being a lucrative business driven by private collectors, experts warn that poaching threatens the survival of these species, particularly tarantulas which are vulnerable due to their long life cycles and slow reproduction rates. The arrested man now faces wildlife trafficking charges, and the animals have been handed over to animal protection services for care.