Smuggler caught at airport with 261 Mexican tarantulas shoved into his luggage

When Swiss customs officers spotted six suspicious carefully-packaged boxes on an inbound flight, they perhaps thought they were stuffed with drugs.

But when officials broke open the cases they in fact discovered a haul of 261 tarantulas - each of them packed in their own plastic bags.

The Mexican red-kneed tarantulas - which are mildly poisonous to humans - grow up to six inches long and live for up to 30 years.

Creepy crawlies: Customs officers found poisonous tarantulas at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport

The shipment was destined for an unidentified Swiss dealer when it was broken open.

Ten of the spiders had died on the flight over from the Dominican Republic.



When they later raided the dealer's home they discovered a further 665 tarantulas and 72 flesh-eating centipedes.

The bumper haul could have been sold on the black market for an estimated £10,500 - or 15,000 Swiss Francs.

Animals are the third-most trafficked item in Switzerland after weapons and drugs. Nevertheless, customs officials were surprised by the size of the haul.

All the spiders have been taken into care at the Federal Veterinary Office.

