U.S. Agents from the Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Postal Inspection agents have just concluded ‘Operation Spiderman’ by busting tarantula-smuggler Sven Koppler.
The ‘spiderman’, not in anyway to be confused with the comic character or the over the top Broadway play, is from Germany and is accused of sending 500 live tarantulas through the mail to the U.S.
Not only is his crime creepy it’s highly illegally. Amongst the 500 live tarantulas were 22 endangered and protected Mexican red-kneed tarantulas. Koppler tangled a wicked web by being in the business of smuggling spider’s for profit. If convicted he faces 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
Agents put the value of his shipment at $300,000.
