Chennai Air Customs found over 100 spiders in a postal parcel that arrived from Poland!

The parcel contained a box with small plastic vials wrapped in silver foil and cotton. After examination, living spiders were found inside each vial.

The spiders were smuggled in to be sold as pets, officials suspect. The parcel was sent back to the original sender.

Chennai Air Customs intercepted a postal parcel that arrived from Poland at the Foreign Post Office. The parcel was addressed to a person in Arupukotai (Tamil Nadu). When it was cut open, the parcel had a thermocol box in which 107 small plastic vials wrapped in silver foil and cotton were found. On examination, live spiders were found inside each vial.

Scientists of Zoological Survey of India (SRC) were called to identify the species. After morphological examination, they suspected the spiders to be of genus phonopelma and brachypelma which are CITES-listed tarantulas, native of South, Central America and Mexico.

Animal quarantine officials recommended to deporting the parcel containing the spiders to the country of origin as the said import is illegal.

The parcel containing the spiders were handed over to postal authorities to deport to Poland, the country of origin.

The spiders were smuggled in to be sold as pets, officials suspect.

The spiders were seized under the Customs Act 1962 read with the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act, 1992.