A Korean man was arrested at Peru's airport for attempting to smuggle hundreds of tarantulas, centipedes and bullet ants hidden on his body.
The 28-year-old smuggler was stopped on Nov. 8 at Jorge Chavez International Airport after airport security noticed his swollen stomach, which led to the discovery of wildlife specimens wrapped in Ziploc bags around his waist, as reported by Reuters.
"We received a report from the security staff at the Jorge Chavez International Airport. In the report they indicated that they found a Korean citizen in possession of wildlife specimens," Pilar Ayala, a biologist with the National Forestry and Wildlife Service, said, as reported by Reuters.
"At the time of the arrest, it was observed that the citizen had placed these specimens in small Ziploc bags, with filter paper. They were placed around his body, contained by two girdles," Ayala continued.
The man reportedly had 320 tarantulas, 110 centipedes and nine bullet ants on his person. The animals, believed to have been illegally taken from the Peruvian Amazon, are part of a global black market for endangered species.
After the discovery, the man was apprehended before he could board a flight to South Korea, and authorities from National Forestry and Wildlife Service seized the animals.
The Environmental Prosecutor's Office has opened an investigation into the smuggling case, with the man facing potential charges related to wildlife trafficking.
Meanwhile, the animals will be kept in a secure environment while authorities determine their fate.
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