The arachnids were found at Cologne Bonn airport after customs officials were tipped off by a "noticeable smell" that did not match the expected aroma of the alleged treats.

German customs authorities have found some 1,500 tarantulas concealed within chocolate sponge cake boxes at Cologne/Bonn Airport during a seizure. Cologne customs spokesman Jens Ahland said on Monday that the package,

Customs officials have released photos from a seizure of roughly 1,500 young tarantulas found inside plastic containers that had been hidden in spongecake boxes shipped to an airport in Germany.