Terrifying discovery in Germany. Customs officers were frightened after checking the baggage

An unusual event took place at Cologne/Bonn Airport in Germany. During baggage control, in one of the passenger's suitcases, customs officers found about 640 tarantulas, scorpions, and beetles. The owner claimed that he himself caught the animals in the Arizona desert, intending to sell them at markets in North Rhine-Westphalia.

– This luggage inspection was exceptional, as it took place without its owner. The suitcase was handed over to a 46-year-old American who was traveling from Arizona to Cologne via London and thus ended up on our inspection table – said Jens Ahland, spokesperson for the Main Customs Office in Cologne.

From the attached documents, it appears that the luggage should contain virtually clothing only - the main customs office in Cologne reported on Thursday. In fact, in addition to a few pieces of clothing, there was a large, styrofoam box wrapped in tape. As one of the workers stated, the controllers are accustomed to finding many things when checking suitcases, but "they couldn't believe what they found here".

In the box, there were 190 tarantulas, over 430 scorpions, and about 20 centipedes and beetles. Almost all the animals were still alive. They were individually or in groups packed in plastic bags or containers.

From the information, it appears that the total value amounted to approximately 18 thousand euro (83.5 thousand zlotys). TerraZoo in Rheinberg took care of the animals that arrived in the country illegally.

As reported by "Bild", the owner of the suitcase testified in an interview that he himself caught the animals in the desert in Arizona, in order to then sell them at the markets in North Rhine-Westphalia.

However, instead of the expected profit, he has to pay almost 6,800 euros. According to customs officers, he had to pay 3,400 euros in import tax and the same amount as security for the ongoing tax fraud proceedings against him.