Man gets 6 months for smuggling 757 tarantulas

MANILA, Philippines — A man who was caught smuggling 757 tarantulas into the country has been sentenced to six months in prison and fined P120,000.

In a seven-page decision dated Nov. 20, Judge Allan Ariola of the Pasay 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 or RA 10863.

Camaro claimed a shipment from Poland containing the spiders, which were placed inside boxes of cookies and oatmeal, at the Central Mail Exchange Center on April 1, 2019.

The spiders were valued at around P310,900, with customs duties and taxes amounting to P54,752.