Man arrested at Cape Town airport with 150 live venomous scorpions

A 28-year-old man is expected to appear in the Bellville Magistrate’s Court on Monday after police found 150 live venomous scorpions in his luggage at Cape Town International Airport.

Intelligence-led operation leads to arrest

The suspect was arrested on Friday, June 12 following an intelligence-driven operation carried out by the Kuilsriver Stock Theft and Endangered Species Unit in collaboration with Cape Nature.

“The members responded to information they received about a person who is in possession of scorpions at the Cape Town International Airport,”

Police said a description of the suspect was obtained and he was subsequently detained. During a search of his luggage, officers discovered the scorpions packed between his clothing.

Charges and what happened to the animals

The man was arrested under the Nature and Environmental Ordinance Act, owning a wild animal. Police said the value of the scorpions is yet to be determined.

The scorpions were transported to a haven for safekeeping, the provincial police spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg said.

Next steps

The suspect is due to appear in the Bellville Magistrate’s Court on Monday. Further details about the case and the scorpions’ valuation were not provided.