The occupants were away, but the party, armed with a search warrant, entered through an open side window, using pepper spray to subdue a barking guard dog.
Strict laws protect an ecosystem from plant and animal invaders.
The spider, a Chilean rose tarantula, is just one organism on a long list of animals, plants and microbes that are unwanted in New Zealand, a country serious about its biosecurity. New Zealand's geographical isolation has allowed farms, orchards and tree plantations to remain relatively free of pests and disease that could push up production costs and reduce market access for export produce. But the isolation has also left its native ecosystems susceptible to foreign invasion. New Zealand's birds were ill-prepared to cope with the influx of cats, dogs, rats and stoats that accompanied human arrival. Many species are now threatened.