The UK Home Office found 2,000 tarantulas in a single car amid a spike in spider trafficking over the last three years.

14:12, Thu, Dec 11, 2025 Updated: 14:14, Thu, Dec 11, 2025

Tarantulas smuggled into the UK illegally

Over 2,000 tarantulas were found smuggled in a single car (Image: Home Office)

Over 2,000 tarantulas illegally smuggled into Britain have been seized by authorities in a crackdown on wildlife trafficking. Border Force made 250 seizures of illegal wildlife between September 13 and October 15, according to reports, a 15% year-on-year rise. The Home Office's findings as part of Operation Thunder included 2,000 live tarantulas, worth an estimated £70,000. Spiders were among the most common animals found smuggled into the UK, alongside live snakes and lovebirds, all crammed into vehicles and shipped across borders by trafficking gangs.

Officials have reported a significant increase in spider trafficking over the past three years, with the number of wildlife cases overall surging by 73% in just two years. "People collect tarantulas as they collect Pokemons," Caroline Fukushima, biodiversity researcher at the University of Turku in Finland, told The Times.

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Officials found a large quantity of tarantulas in a single car. (Image: Home Office)

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"In general, exotic pets are rising: not just tarantulas, but reptiles and amphibians," she said. "Mainly because with the internet and social media, it's easier to be in touch with different sellers everywhere in the world."

As well as spiders, Border Force found two rainbow boa constrictors hidden in a car in Dover, and over 100 birds, some of which died after being packed into a small and filthy vehicle.

Home Office minister Mike Tapp said: "Wildlife smuggling is serious organised crime. It fuels corruption, drives species to extinction and undermines our border security.

"I congratulate Border Force on this year's hugely successful operation, which has cut off a major source of funding for dangerous gangs.

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Officials also found birds packed into a car at Dover (Image: Home Office)

"But we won't stop until we've broken this business model. Anyone attempting to bring illegal wildlife products into the UK - by air, sea or post - will be searched and prosecuted."

Wildlife crime is now the fourth largest international crime behind firearms, drugs and human trafficking - worth up to £17 billion a year globally.

Mary Creagh, environment minister, said: "The illegal wildlife trade is vile and destroys the natural world. By tackling wildlife crime, we're sending a clear message to the criminal gangs that this Government will strain every sinew to bring those involved to justice."

The intercepted creatures, which are protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), will be rehomed or used for research.