Korean man caught at Lima airport with 400 venomous critters
A 28-year-old Korean man with over 400 venomous spiders and centipedes was detained at the Lima airport. He was attempting to smuggle them to South Korea.
6:56 PM EST, November 15, 2024
The arrest took place at Lima's Jorge Chávez Airport in Peru. A 28-year-old South Korean citizen was caught trying to smuggle over 400 venomous spiders and centipedes. Airport authorities became suspicious of the man's unusually swollen abdomen, which led them to conduct an additional search.
During the search, they discovered that the man was carrying 320 spiders, 110 centipedes, and nine bullet ants. The animals were concealed in ziplock bags with filter paper and strapped around his body. All of them belonged to dangerous species, including tarantulas and scolopendra.
The animals were returned to the National Forestry and Wildlife Service (SERFOR). The authorities have launched an investigation into the illegal trade in these endangered species, which is valued at millions of dollars.
