Turkish police arrested a man attempting to board a plane with a suitcase full of poisonous spiders and scorpions. According to the Independent, the incident occurred at Istanbul airport.
The man had dozens of bags containing around 1,500 valuable scorpions and spiders, including tarantulas, as well as dozens of plastic bottles filled with an unspecified liquid. Turkish media reports identify the culprit as Lorenzo Prendini, curator of the US Historical Museum.
Prendini is listed on the museum’s website as the curator of spider, scorpion, and millipede collections. It states that his research on spiders and scorpions has taken him to over 30 countries. Police stated that the confiscated specimens were endemic to Turkey, their DNA could be copied, and their toxins extracted for use in pharmaceuticals. The suspect faces charges under anti-smuggling laws.
