Peru Seizes 3,000 Tarantulas From Three Passengers at Lima Airport
Two Germans and one Polish man faced criminal proceedings after hiding the spiders in luggage intended for a flight to Germany.
By Camila Herrera ·
Peruvian authorities confiscated more than 3,000 tarantulas from the luggage of three foreign travelers at the Jorge Chávez International Airport in Lima on Wednesday.
The National Service of Forests and Wildlife (SERFOR) announced that officers detained two German men and one Polish man who were preparing to board a flight to Germany. The agency stated that the operation began after officials received an anonymous complaint. The three travelers now face a criminal process for their role in the incident.
Cora Suárez, who leads the SERFOR control point at the airport, said the shipment contained a mix of eggs, juveniles, and adult spiders. She noted that the traffickers made careful selections to include different species. "Some of them have not yet been described by science," Suárez said in a statement.
Officials identified several specimens as Pamphobeteus Antinous, commonly known as blue-footed tarantulas. Experts say these spiders can reach 20 centimeters when their legs are fully extended. They typically eat insects. The species is native to the Amazon regions of Peru and Bolivia. Peruvian law classifies the Pamphobeteus Antinous as vulnerable. It is included in the national list of legally protected wildlife.
Authorities have not yet determined the intended use for the animals. The three men could be investigated for illegal trafficking of wild species. That offense carries a prison sentence of three to five years. If prosecutors prove the travelers were transporting species protected by national legislation, the potential sentence could increase to four to seven years.
This seizure follows a February incident in which officials rescued nearly 500 wild parakeets from a house in the Amazon. Those birds were destined for sale inside and outside Peru. In 2024, police arrested a South Korean man at the same airport. He had hidden 320 tarantulas in containers and bags beneath his clothing.
The three detained travelers remain in custody as the legal process moves forward.
