German customs officials seized around 1,500 young tarantulas hidden in chocolate cake boxes at Cologne Bonn Airport in a shipment from Vietnam.

Alerted by an unusual smell, officers found the spiders in plastic containers, with many not surviving the trip.

The surviving tarantulas were handed to an expert, The Guardian has reported.

Authorities are pursuing criminal charges against the intended recipient for customs and animal welfare violations.

Written by B.C. Begley