Latest news with #CologneBonn
News.com.au
5 days ago
- News.com.au
Creepy find: German customs net tarantulas in cookie shipment
German customs officers have discovered a massive haul of about 1,500 tarantulas hidden inside a shipment disguised as cookies, authorities said Monday. The seven-kilogramme (15-pound) shipment from Vietnam was intercepted at Cologne-Bonn airport and emitted a strange smell when opened, customs officials said. Inside the found the venomous arachnids packed into plastic tubes and said that many had not survived the flight, with the remaining spiders placed into professional care. "This unusual discovery left even the most experienced officers speechless," customs spokesman Jens Ahland said. It was "deeply troubling what some people do to animals purely for profit", he added. A criminal investigation has been launched into the package's intended recipient for failing to pay duties and make the proper declarations. In 2020, customs officers at the same airport found 16 live and 10 dead reptiles smuggled inside toys, sweets and dolls from Mexico. vbw/fz/yad
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
1,500 tarantulas seized at airport after being smuggled in chocolate spongecake boxes
Around 1,500 tarantulas have been seized after being hidden in chocolate spongecake boxes and shipped to an airport. The tarantulas were found inside plastic containers that had been hidden in the cake boxes which were then shipped to Cologne Bonn airport, western Germany. Customs officials were alerted to the package, which arrived from Vietnam, by a 'noticeable smell' that didn't resemble the expected aroma of the 7 kilograms (about 15 pounds) of the confectionery treats. "My colleagues at the airport are regularly surprised by the contents of prohibited packages from all over the world, but the fact that they found around 1,500 small plastic containers containing young tarantulas in this package left even the most experienced among them speechless,' Cologne customs office spokesman Jens Ahland said in a statement. The tarantulas were being shipped to Cologne Bonn airport, western Germany. (Haupzollamt Koeln via AP) ((Haupzollamt Koeln via AP)) Ahland hailed an 'extraordinary seizure," but one that "saddens us to see what some people do to animals purely for profit.' Many of the eight-legged creatures didn't survive the trip, in a suspected violation of German animal-welfare rules, while survivors were given to the care of an expert handler, the office said. Reached by phone, Ahland said that the estimated value of the shipment was being assessed. Criminal proceedings are underway against the intended recipient in the Sauerland region, east of the airport, in part for alleged violations of failure to pay the proper import duties and make the proper customs declarations, the office said. The tarantulas were discovered about three weeks ago, but the customs office only made the images public on Monday.
The Guardian
6 days ago
- The Guardian
About 1,500 tarantulas found hidden in cake boxes at German airport
Arachnophobes beware: customs officials have released photos from a seizure of roughly 1,500 young tarantulas found inside plastic containers that were hidden in chocolate sponge cake boxes shipped to an airport in western Germany. Customs officials said on Monday they had found the shipment at Cologne Bonn airport in a package that had arrived from Vietnam. A Cologne customs office spokesperson, Jens Ahland, said they had been tipped off by a 'noticeable smell' that did not resemble the expected aroma of the 7kg (about 15lb) of the confectionery treats. 'My colleagues at the airport are regularly surprised by the contents of prohibited packages from all over the world, but the fact that they found around 1,500 small plastic containers containing young tarantulas in this package left even the most experienced among them speechless,' Ahland said in a statement. Ahland hailed an 'extraordinary seizure', but one that 'saddens us to see what some people do to animals purely for profit'. Many of the eight-legged creatures did not survive the trip, in a suspected violation of German animal welfare rules, while survivors were given to the care of an expert handler, the office said. Reached by phone, Ahland said the estimated value of the shipment was being assessed. Criminal proceedings are under way against the intended recipient in the Sauerland region, east of the airport, in part for alleged violations of failure to pay the proper import duties and make the proper customs declarations, the office said. The tarantulas were discovered about three weeks ago, but the customs office only made the images public on Monday.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
German customs officials show images of tarantulas hidden in spongecake boxes after smuggling bust
BERLIN (AP) — Arachnophobes beware: Customs officials on Monday released photos from a seizure of roughly 1,500 young tarantulas found inside plastic containers that had been hidden in chocolate spongecake boxes shipped to an airport in western Germany. Customs officials found the shipment at Cologne Bonn airport in a package that had arrived from Vietnam, tipped off by a 'noticeable smell' that didn't resemble the expected aroma of the 7 kilograms (about 15 pounds) of the confectionery treats, Cologne customs office spokesman Jens Ahland said. "My colleagues at the airport are regularly surprised by the contents of prohibited packages from all over the world, but the fact that they found around 1,500 small plastic containers containing young tarantulas in this package left even the most experienced among them speechless,' Ahland said in a statement. Ahland hailed an 'extraordinary seizure," but one that "saddens us to see what some people do to animals purely for profit.' Many of the eight-legged creatures didn't survive the trip, in a suspected violation of German animal-welfare rules, while survivors were given to the care of an expert handler, the office said. Reached by phone, Ahland said that the estimated value of the shipment was being assessed. Criminal proceedings are underway against the intended recipient in the Sauerland region, east of the airport, in part for alleged violations of failure to pay the proper import duties and make the proper customs declarations, the office said. The tarantulas were discovered about three weeks ago, but the customs office only made the images public on Monday.
The Independent
6 days ago
- The Independent
1,500 tarantulas seized at airport after being smuggled in chocolate spongecake boxes
Around 1,500 tarantulas have been seized after being hidden in chocolate spongecake boxes and shipped to an airport. The tarantulas were found inside plastic containers that had been hidden in the cake boxes which were then shipped to Cologne Bonn airport, western Germany. Customs officials were alerted to the package, which arrived from Vietnam, by a 'noticeable smell ' that didn't resemble the expected aroma of the 7 kilograms (about 15 pounds) of the confectionery treats. "My colleagues at the airport are regularly surprised by the contents of prohibited packages from all over the world, but the fact that they found around 1,500 small plastic containers containing young tarantulas in this package left even the most experienced among them speechless,' Cologne customs office spokesman Jens Ahland said in a statement. Ahland hailed an 'extraordinary seizure," but one that "saddens us to see what some people do to animals purely for profit.' Many of the eight-legged creatures didn't survive the trip, in a suspected violation of German animal-welfare rules, while survivors were given to the care of an expert handler, the office said. Reached by phone, Ahland said that the estimated value of the shipment was being assessed. Criminal proceedings are underway against the intended recipient in the Sauerland region, east of the airport, in part for alleged violations of failure to pay the proper import duties and make the proper customs declarations, the office said. The tarantulas were discovered about three weeks ago, but the customs office only made the images public on Monday.
