Yzabelle Bostyn
A TRAVELLER was stopped flying from Madrid to southern Spain carrying 15 TARANTULAS in Tupperware cases.
The Guardia Civil are investigating a man for illegally selling tarantulas, an endangered species, after they were found in a package being sent from Madrid to Sevilla.
Some 15 of the spiders were detected at Madrid Barajas Airport, nine of which are a protected species.
The package, which came from the San Fernando de Henares area of Madrid was stopped after security agents deemed it ‘suspicious’.
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Photo: Guardia Civil
Guardia Civil border agents from the Adolfo Suarez Madrid-Barajas Airport proceeded to inspect the package.
They detected 15 plastic containers, each one containing a tarantula.
Agents then requested the relevant authorities to help them determine if the spiders were part of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
The species found were: Brachypelma Hamorii, Brachypelma boehmei, Brachypelma Emilia , Poecilotheria regalis, Aphonopelma pallidum and Tlitocatl albopilosus, all of which are included in the convention.
The animals were then taken to the appropriate holding places in Madrid.
After locating the origin of the package in San Fernando de Henares, the investigation began into alleged crimes against Flora and Fauna.
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Ten days later, agents of the Guardia Civil’s nature protection arm, SEPRA, found an exotic animal distribution centre in Torrijos, near Toledo.
The origin of the package was a pet shop in the town, where the agents found an additional 15 animals.
They located four lizards (two Australian geckos and two thick-tailed geckos), three black vipers, seven Asian vipers and a green tree python.
All of the animals found are potentially dangerous and the owner failed to show correct documentation.
“These animals can be sold, legally, but CITES documents are required, it’s a kind of ID for the animals,” a Guardia Civil spokesperson stated.
Although they did not reveal how much the spiders would have been sold for, the orange footed tarantulas can be bought for €80, while the mexican red footed tarantulas normally cost €45.
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