Based on information, Chennai air customs intercepted a postal parcel that arrived from Poland at the Foreign Post Office. The parcel was addressed to a person in Arupukottai. 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.
The parcel had a thermocol box in which 107 small plastic vials wrapped in silver foil
Wild Life Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) officials and scientists of Zoological Survey of India’s southern region centre in Chennai were called to identify the species. Based on morphological examination, they believe the spiders to be of genus phonopelma and brachypelma, which are CITES-listed tarantulas, native to south, central America and Mexico.
Animal quarantine officials recommended deporting the parcel containing the spiders to the country of origin as the import was illegal as there were no DGFT (Directorate General of Foreign Trade) licence and health-related documents for import into India.
The spiders were seized under the Customs Act, 1962, read with the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act, 1992. The parcel containing the spiders were handed over to postal authorities to be sent back to Poland. Further investigations were under progress, the release said.
Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/chennai-107-live-spiders-found-inside-air-parcel-from-poland-seized/articleshow/84085097.cms
