Hotel guests in Japan hide 160kg of hermit crabs in suitcases, arrested for illegal possession
Three Chinese men were arrested in Japan after 160kg of protected hermit crabs were found hidden inside their suitcases, reported Kyodo News.
A hotel worker in Amami City, located on one of Japan’s southwestern islands, alerted environmental authorities on Tuesday (6 May) after hearing rustling noises coming from their suitcases.
The guests had asked the hotel staff to look after their luggage, but the unusual noises prompted staff to investigate.
When two of the guests returned, police requested to inspect the suitcases and found about 95kg of spiral-shelled hermit crabs inside.
A third man was later found with an additional 65kg of crabs across three more suitcases.
The hermit crabs belong to a group of species designated as “national natural monuments” in Japan due to their cultural and scientific significance.
Authorities estimated that the men had thousands of the creatures in their possession, with media reporting that each crab could fetch up to 20,000 yen (S$178) on the black market.