'Spider smuggler' arrested with hundreds of tarantulas taped to body as he tries to fly out of Peru

A South Korean antheral has been arrested aft trying to alert retired of Peru’s superior with hundreds of tarantulas strapped to his body.

The suspected smuggler concealed much than 300 spiders, astir 100 centipedes and 9 stinging slug ants successful tiny integrative bags astatine Lima Airport, according to reports. 

Pilar Ayala, a biologist with SERFOR (Peru's National Forestry and Wildlife Service), said helium was called to Jorge Chavez International Airport.

"In the study they indicated that they recovered a Korean national successful possession of wildlife specimens,” she said.

"It was observed that the national had placed these specimens successful tiny ziploc bags with filter paper.

"They were placed astir his body, contained by 2 girdles."

SERFOR tin beryllium called retired for times erstwhile it seems that tarantulas are seemingly smuggled and sold for precocious prices arsenic exotic pets. 

Ms Ayala added that the antheral was arrested and the insects were taken successful for safekeeping by the authorities.

Alice Hughes, a biology prof astatine Hong Kong University, told the Telegraph that collectors are trying to get arsenic galore taxon arsenic imaginable and bash not attraction astir the means.

She said: “Tarantulas are particularly susceptible to poaching due to the fact that they’re long-lived - immoderate scope 30 years aged - and females reproduce precocious and infrequently.”