Live snakes, spiders and scorpions found in Melbourne package

A package has proven to be much more dangerous than its “two pair shoes” label suggested, with Australian Border Force officers uncovering a deadly mix of vipers, tarantulas and scorpions inside.

Three royal pythons, six venomous vipers, nine tarantulas and four scorpions were found  in a package in Melbourne’s international mail room on March 14, the ABF has revealed.

Among the tarantulas were two Brazilian salmon pink varieties, which are considered to be the third-largest type of tarantula in the world.

The creepy-crawlies had diverse origins including south-east Asia, Brazil, Colombia and Mexico, but the shipment came from northern Europe.  

“We are always finding new and unusual things that people are trying to smuggle into the country,” ABF regional commander James Watson said.

A Department of Immigration and Border Protection spokeswoman confirmed the snakes and creepy crawlies all had to be euthanised.

In the past two years, ABF officers have screened 12 million mail items, along with assessing one million cargo consignments.

“This resulted in 3,500 infringement notices and the uncovering of a range of items that posed a risk to Australian biosecurity, including plants and seeds, whole fresh fish, dried lizards, frogs and spiders,” Department of Agriculture and Water Resources’ deputy secretary Lyn O’Connell said.

“Anyone who claims to be an animal lover and conceals reptiles or arachnids in small packages and sends them through the mail does not have the best interests of the animals—or Australia—at heart.”