Customs agents at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport seized three shipments of more than 800 spiders smuggled from Poland.
The packages — containing 17 spiders and 809 spider lings — were misdeclared as shipment of figurines and medicines and consigned to three individuals residing in the cities of Paranaque and Pasay, and in Batangas.
Authorities did not identify the consignees, who they said, will be the subjects of their investigation.
Port of NAIA district collector Carmelita Talusan said her men in coordination with the Environmental Protection Compliance Division intercepted the shipments at the Central Mail Exchange Center (CMEC) in Pasay City last Tuesday.
Customs examiners placed the packages under physical examination and found the spiders concealed in small plastic vials wrapped in foil and cotton.
Talusan said the wildlife species were turned over to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources for proper disposition.
Two months ago, Customs NAIA agents intercepted a shipment of spiders and other wildlife species valued at half a million pesos, also at CMEC.
The package — containing 25 tarantulas, 12 spider lings, five centipedes, and two black spiders — came from Thailand and was consigned to a certain Aldwin Capucae, a resident of Pasay City.
Based on documents, the shipment was described and misdeclared as “Plastic Teaching Materials for University”, a clear case of technical smuggling.
In December, the Bureau of Customs and the DENR won a legal case against a trader responsible for the smuggling of 757 pieces of valuable spider at the airport.
The Pasay City Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 48 found Jesse Camaro guilty of violating the Wildlife Conservation and Protection Act or Republic Act 9147 and the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.
The court also ordered Camaro to pay a a fine of P120,000.