The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has seized 757 live tarantulas illegally brought into the Philippines through the Central Mail Exchange Center in Pasay City.
The venomous tarantulas, valued at P310,000 and classified as an endangered wildlife species, were found concealed in gift-wrapped oatmeal and cookies boxes on April 1, 2019 by agents of the BOC-Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) .
BOC-NAIA district collector Carmelita Talusan in a statement said the shipment was sent from Poland by a certain Wojciech Pakasz and consigned to one Jesse Camaro, a resident of Caloocan City.
According to BOC, based on Republic Act (RA) No. 9147 (Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act), illegal wildlife traders face imprisonment of one year and one day to two years and a fine of P20,000 to P200,000; and/or three years and one day but not more than six years of imprisonment or a fine of not more than P300,000 for unlawful importation pursuant to RA 10863 (Customs Modernization and Tariff Act).
The live tarantulas have been turned over to the Wildlife Traffic Monitoring Unit of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
From 2018 up to present, BOC-NAIA has turned over to DENR a total of 2,152 wildlife and endangered species including 250 geckos, 254 corals, and endangered reptiles, which were all illegally brought into the country through air parcels, baggage, and shipments.
Recently, 63 iguanas, chameleons and bearded dragons were also intercepted by frontliners and operatives of BOC-NAIA.
“BOC NAIA will continue to protect the borders against importation and exportation of illegal wildlife trade and other prohibited and anti-social goods,” Talusan said.
