Turkish authorities detained Lorenzo Prendini, a curator for the American Museum of Natural History's spider and scorpion collections, at Istanbul Airport. The arrest occurred on Sunday, with the police seizing around 1,500 spiders and scorpions, which included tarantulas, from his luggage. Various bottles containing unspecified liquids were also found in his possession. The species are native to Turkey and are under protection due to their potential use in pharmaceuticals, with scorpion venom alone commanding a high market value. Charges have been filed against Prendini under anti-smuggling laws, highlighting the illegal nature of exporting such wildlife and their derived substances.