‘Teaching equipment’ turns out to be venomous tarantulas, scorpions

On Jan 12, 2021

One of the 20 venomous tarantula found by Philippine customs authorities at the NAIA last January 6, 2021, from a package from Thailand declared as ‘teaching equipment’ (photo: BOC-PIAD).

THE Bureau of Customs Port of NAIA intercepted a package declared as ‘teaching equipment’ but instead yielded 28 live venomous scorpions and tarantulas being smuggled thru the Central Mail Exchange Center (CMEC) in Pasay City last January 6, 2021.

NAIA district collector, Carmelita ‘Mimel’ Talusan, in a belated report to customs commissioner, Rey Leonardo Guerrero, said the package, which arrived from Samut Parakain, Thailand, yielded 28 plastic containers consisting of 20 tarantulas and 8 scorpions, when opened.

Both are considered ‘endangered species’ and their importation, collection and trade are punishable under Republic Act 9147 (Wildlife Resources Protection and Conservation Act) with 6 years imprisonment and a fine of P200,000.

Talusan added both have been turned over to the custody of the Wildlife Traffic and Monitoring Unit of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (WTMU-DENR).

The person or persons behind the illegal importation, however, was/were not identified.

Last October 2020, the BOC-NAIA also intercepted 119 tarantulas from Poland, concealed in a pair of rubber shoes.