Briton Arrested Trying to Smuggle 1,000 Spiders out of Brazil
A man was arrested at the airport in Rio de Janeiro when he was caught trying to smuggle about 1,000 spiders out of the country. Lee Ardern, a 26-year-old Briton from Cardigan, is believed to run a spider shop in the UK.
Exporting Brazilian animals without getting the proper permission is not allowed, so a £452,136 fine has been set for him to pay. Since the arrest he has been released on bail. However, he can’t leave the country and has 20 days to present his case and get the fine canceled. Ardern says that he bought the spiders for £3 each with the intention to sell them in the UK for £30.
The spiders were found when the man’s suitcases went through the security x-ray machine after arriving on a flight from Paraguay, and then his luggage was randomly searched. He was only passing through Brazil before going back to London.
Authorities in Brazil say that Ardern didn’t have authorization from the Brazilian Institute for Environment and Renewable Resources to transport the spiders out of the country. Plus, he is also facing a six month to a year in prison sentence, but it is understood the fine is a more likely punishment. If he is made to pay the fine, he will probably get to travel again after paying some of it.
A member of the institute, Carlos Magno, said that 600 of the spiders were a species that is common in Paraguay but doesn’t live in Brazil, while another 300 were common in both countries. He added that it is certain the spiders weren’t created in captivity.
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