Customs authorities have intercepted an attempt to illegally smuggle about 1,500 black widow spiders, known as tarantulas, from Vietnam to Germany.
According to foreign news agencies including the Associated Press on the 15th (local time), the Cologne Central Customs Authority in Germany reported that it discovered over 1,500 baby tarantulas hidden in a cake packaging box at Cologne/Bonn Airport on the 18th of last month. Customs authorities stated that the illegal shipment was found in cargo originating from Vietnam.
Customs officials detected a peculiar smell from an item declared as '7 kg of snacks' during the cargo inspection at that time and proceeded to investigate. Upon opening the cake packaging box, they found baby tarantulas hidden in a small plastic container. The airport spokesperson noted, 'Customs officers often find themselves amazed by the contents of illegal shipments from around the world, and the tarantulas discovered this time left even the most experienced staff speechless.'
It is reported that many of the approximately 1,500 baby tarantulas were already dead when customs authorities discovered them. Survivors were transferred to an animal shelter. The airport spokesperson stated, 'It breaks my heart to see what some people do to animals for profit.'
Any animals sent from a non-European Union (EU) member country to within the EU must go through proper customs declaration procedures. Authorities announced that criminal proceedings are underway against the recipient of the shipment residing in the Sauerland region of Germany for failure to report customs and non-payment of import tariffs.