A group of smuggling 3,000 arthropods, including scorpions and centipedes, was arrested by customs.
Incheon Headquarters Customs announced on the 22nd that it had booked six people, including A (39), without detention on charges of smuggling under the Customs Act.
Person A and others are suspected of secretly bringing scorpions into Korea from March to September of this year by hiding them in international mail or assembling toys for sea express cargo from China, Africa, and Indonesia.
It has been investigated that these individuals are arthropod Internet cafe operators and members who have raised smuggled individuals in large quantities at their homes or breeding facilities.
Mr. A and others made profits by selling these individuals to the market, aiming at the increasing demand for breeding animals such as centipedes, scorpions, and spiders as exotic pets.
After detecting some of the arthropods that Mr. A and others were trying to smuggle during import inspection, the customs tracked credit card usage and account transactions.
Following a search and seizure, 1,524 individuals, including scorpions, centipedes, and spiders, and related evidence were obtained.
Customs decided to donate the confiscated objects to the Gwacheon National Science Museum for research and display, while strengthening the inspection of international mail and express shipments.
A customs official said, "You can easily find photos of 'handling', which is the act of putting a poisonous object in your hand, through social networking services (SNS).
(Photo = courtesy of Incheon Headquarters Customs, Yonhap News)