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Smuggler arrested with 300 tarantulas strapped to his body

Officials said they found 320 tarantulas, 110 centipedes and nine bullet ants strapped to the man's body.
Credit: KHOU

LIMA, Peru — A South Korean national was arrested after authorities in Central America said they caught him trying to smuggle hundreds of critters out of Peru, according to a CNN report.

They said the 28-year-old was stopped at a Lima airport because his stomach looked bulky.

Peru's National Forestry and Wildlife Service said officials found 320 tarantulas, 110 centipedes and nine bullet ants strapped to his body.

The animals were taken by authorities and are being cared for.

Tarantulas are a threatened species. The agency said it believes they were taken from the Peruvian Amazon to be sold as part of the illegal wildlife trade.

The country's environmental crimes team is investigating.

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