3,000 Tarantulas Found in Socks in Luggage at Peru Airport

More than 3,000 tarantulas were discovered inside socks packed in luggage belonging to three travelers at an airport in Callao, Peru, on November 3.

The luggage belonged to two German citizens and one Polish citizen who were preparing to fly to Germany, according to Peru's National Forestry and Wildlife Service.

Authorities launched an investigation after receiving an anonymous tip. When officials searched the suitcases, they found between 15 and 22 socks packed inside each one, concealing spiders of different species and in varying numbers.

The seizure included tarantulas at different stages of development, from eggs and young spiders to adults. Cora Suarez, a wildlife forestry control technician with SERFOR, noted that these species are valuable to collectors due to their appearance, size, and collector appeal.

The three travelers were stopped while checking in for their flight and detained by Peru's environmental crimes police. Authorities said the travelers now face criminal proceedings led by a specialized environmental prosecutor's office.

Wildlife smuggling through socks in luggage is not new. In August, a man was arrested at Tokyo's Haneda Airport after 200 lizards were found in 22 pairs of socks in his suitcase.