Inside dirty socks: the frightening discovery at the airport

Authorities in Peru seized over 12,000 tarantulas hidden in socks inside suitcases of passengers en route to Germany. The spiders, some of which may be new species to science, were intended for collectors and the pet market in Europe. Three suspects were arrested.

An inspection at the airport in Peru uncovered an unusual cargo hidden in three suitcases of passengers traveling to Germany. According to Peru's National Forest and Wildlife Service, the spiders were found in three suitcases belonging to two German citizens and one Polish citizen. During the inspection, inspectors noticed that part of the suitcase contents was moving, and when they opened the socks, they found tarantulas of various sizes. Each suitcase contained between 15 and 22 socks holding the spiders. Some of the specimens belonged to species that may be new to science. According to Suárez, a single tarantula can sell in Europe for around 500 euros, and the initial shipment value was estimated at 1.5 million euros. In a later report, the Peruvian police updated the number of seized animals to 12,796. One of the suspects is reportedly a known tarantula researcher. The three passengers were arrested. The case illustrates the scale of illegal wildlife trade, estimated by Interpol at around $20 billion per year.