It can be easy to rib airport security agents after the fact for certain items they deem worthy of further inspection, if not full confiscation. Sunflower seeds, too-large sunscreen bottles, laser hair removal devices, bold-typed Hollywood scripts with airplane bombing opening scenes… But these security officers must stay vigilant for the greater good! Because, as it happens, you never know when you might stumble upon 3,000+ tarantulas of all ages and sizes being smuggled out of the country. Such was the case for Peruvian airport customs officials at Jorge Chávez International Airport in Lima last week. They found it odd that a bunch of socks in three different suitcases seemed to be moving, so went in for closer inspection. The scene that unfolded was an arachnophobian’s most frightening horror film.

Officials at Peru’s largest airport have seized more than 3,000 tarantulas that were set to travel to Germany.

The spiders, which were discovered at Jorge Chávez International Airport in Lima, the country’s capital, were hidden in socks across three suitcases carried by two people from Germany and one from Poland, according to a Wednesday, Nov. 4, press release from the National Forestry and Wildlife Service (SERFOR).

“We found the tarantulas in different stages of life, from eggs and hatchlings to adults,” said Cora Suárez, a forest and wildlife control technician with SERFOR. “The traffickers made a meticulous selection to include different species, some of which have not yet been described by science.”

The trio was intercepted by authorities as they checked in at the boarding area, after customs agents noticed something unusual during a routine baggage inspection. “We noticed that some of them were moving. There were small ones and large ones,” Suárez told the Agence France-Presse (AFP).

All three individuals were detained by the Peruvian National Police’s environmental crimes unit and face prosecution. According to the release, one of the individuals detained is a prominent tarantula researcher.

The tarantulas, which are protected by the Peruvian government, came from several regions of the South American country, Suárez said. Among them are members of the species Thrixopelma lagunas, Antikuna sp. and Avicularia sp., and the genus Pamphobeteus.

It’s thought the arachnids were going to be trafficked to be collected, researched on and kept as pets, per the release. Suárez told the AFP that just one tarantula can fetch €500 (about $558) in Europe, meaning the trio could have made €1.5 million (almost $1.7 million) after the trip.

Once they’ve been assessed, the tarantulas will be taken to an authorized breeding center, per the release.

According to Interpol, illegal wildlife trafficking generates at least $20 billion per year, and trafficking is a serious problem in Peru, one of the most biodiverse countries in the world.

In 2024, authorities stopped a South Korean man for attempting to leave the country with 320 tarantulas, 110 centipedes and nine bullet ants, all native to the Amazon, inside Ziploc bags attached to his body, per a SERFOR press release.

[From People]

Remember the Qantas flight that was grounded due to bed bugs last month? Yeah, well this episode feels like 3,000 Peruvian tarantulas saying, “Hold my cerveza.” WTAF?!! Not that it was the fault of the tarantuli, who were undoubtedly minding their own eight-legged business as government-protected citizens. Call me naive, but I had no idea that there was such a lucrative market for contraband spiders. Sadly, post-Louvre heist I’m no longer shocked by these brazen trafficking attempts. But extra shame should be placed on the “prominent tarantula researcher” in particular for taking part in grand theft arachnid. And for giving us yet another thing to be scared sh-tless duly concerned about when flying! Credit to the airport and SERFOR officials for handling the situation so well, with only a fourth the number of legs.

photos are screenshots from YouTube