Peruvian authorities seized over 3,000 tarantulas hidden in dirty socks at Lima airport on Friday from travelers bound for Germany.

The spiders were packed in three suitcases carried by two German nationals and one Polish citizen. Customs officers discovered the shipment during a routine inspection after noticing unusual movement inside the luggage.

According to specialists, a single tarantula can fetch up to 500 euros in Europe. The shipment could have been worth 1.5 million euros.

The tarantulas came from various regions of Peru. They included eggs, newly hatched specimens, and adults.

Police specializing in environmental crimes took the three Europeans into custody. Criminal proceedings have been initiated against them.