Latest news with #hermitcrabs
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Yahoo
Three men held over suitcases stuffed with hermit crabs
Three men have been arrested in Japan for attempting to smuggle hermit crabs out of the country. The suspects, aged 24, 26 and 27, and widely identified in Japanese media as being Chinese nationals, were detained on Amami, a southerly island where the spiral-shelled crustaceans are a protected species. Authorities were alerted to the men's live cargo when hotel staff, who had been asked to look after their luggage, noticed the suitcases making a "rustling noise", police told local media. Officers subsequently discovered "thousands" of hermit crabs, weighing around 95kg. The third man was found to have a further 65kg in another set of three suitcases. "Our investigation is ongoing to identify whether they had [the crabs] to sell them, or to keep them as pets, or to eat them," a police spokesman told the news agency AFP following the arrests on Wednesday. "We are reviewing all possibilities." Police said the hermit crabs were "a national treasure", being a part of Amami Island's plant and animal diversity. Hermit crabs - so named because they scavenge shells to live in - can regularly be seen on the beaches of the popular tourist destination. The crabs can be worth up to ¥20,000 (£103), according to the Japan Times.
BBC News
11-05-2025
- BBC News
Japan: Three men held over suitcases stuffed with hermit crabs
Three men have been arrested in Japan for attempting to smuggle hermit crabs out of the suspects, aged 24, 26 and 27, and widely identified in Japanese media as being Chinese nationals, were detained on Amami, a southerly island where the spiral-shelled crustaceans are a protected were alerted to the men's live cargo when hotel staff, who had been asked to look after their luggage, noticed the suitcases making a "rustling noise", police told local subsequently discovered "thousands" of hermit crabs, weighing around 95kg. The third man was found to have a further 65kg in another set of three suitcases. "Our investigation is ongoing to identify whether they had [the crabs] to sell them, or to keep them as pets, or to eat them," a police spokesman told the news agency AFP following the arrests on Wednesday. "We are reviewing all possibilities."Police said the hermit crabs were "a national treasure", being a part of Amami Island's plant and animal crabs - so named because they scavenge shells to live in - can regularly be seen on the beaches of the popular tourist crabs can be worth up to ¥20,000 (£103), according to the Japan Times.
Times of Oman
11-05-2025
- Times of Oman
Japan arrests three for smuggling protected hermit crabs in suitcases
Okinawa : Three Chinese nationals were arrested on a holiday Island of Japan after thousands of protected hermit crabs were found smuggled in suitcases, CNN reported on Saturday. According to CNN, the police arrested the Chinese nationals after thousands of protected hermit crabs were found stuffed into multiple suitcases. CNN reported, citing the police on Amami Islands that the three suspects - Liao Zhibin, 24, Song Zhenhao, 26, and Guo Jiawei, 27 - were found to have 160 kilograms (353 pounds) of the live crustaceans in their possession on Wednesday. The police said a hotel worker in Amami, a city on the island of Amami Oshima, alerted environmental authorities after spotting something suspicious about the suitcases the three men had asked hotel staff to watch. "They heard rustling sounds coming from a suitcase that was being held in storage," a police officer told CNN. Upon the arrival of officers at the hotel, it was found that the spiral-shelled hermit crabs were stuffed into six suitcases, according to police. When they returned to the hotel on Wednesday, the three men were arrested for possessing the crustaceans without proper authorization, Kyodo News reported, as per CNN. However it continues to remain unclear why the three men were transporting the crustaceans. Police did not provide further details on the exact species, but told CNN Friday that the hermit crabs seized are classified as "national natural monuments" in Japan as they hold cultural and scientific value, and are thereby protected under the Japanese law. As per CNN, the Amami archipelago, off southwestern Kyushu and just north of Okinawa, is a popular tourist destination and known to be home to a diverse array of native plants and animals. As per Kyodo News, the authorities believe the three suspects may have intended to sell the crabs, which were packed in a total of six suitcases. It further noted that the police have not said whether the three have admitted to the allegations.
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Yahoo
Three Chinese nationals arrested in Japan after thousands of protected hermit crabs found smuggled in suitcases
Police on a Japanese holiday island have arrested three Chinese nationals after thousands of protected hermit crabs were found stuffed into multiple suitcases. The three suspects – Liao Zhibin, 24, Song Zhenhao, 26, and Guo Jiawei, 27 – were found to have 160 kilograms (353 pounds) of the live crustaceans in their possession on Wednesday, according to police on the Amami Islands, near Okinawa. Police said a hotel worker in Amami, a city on the island of Amami Oshima, alerted environmental authorities after spotting something suspicious about the suitcases the three men had asked hotel staff to watch. 'They heard rustling sounds coming from a suitcase that was being held in storage,' a police officer told CNN. Officers later arrived at the hotel and found the spiral-shelled hermit crabs stuffed into six suitcases, according to police. When they returned to the hotel on Wednesday, the three men were arrested for possessing the crustaceans without proper authorization, Kyodo News reported. It's unknown why the three men were transporting the crustaceans. Police did not provide more detail on the exact species, but told CNN Friday that the hermit crabs seized are classified as 'national natural monuments' in Japan because of their cultural and scientific value, and protected under Japanese law. The Amami archipelago, off southwestern Kyushu and just north of Okinawa, is a popular tourist destination and known to be home to a diverse array of native plants and animals.
CNN
11-05-2025
- CNN
Thousands of hermit crabs seized after being found smuggled in suitcases
Police on a Japanese holiday island have arrested three Chinese nationals after thousands of protected hermit crabs were found stuffed into multiple suitcases. The three suspects – Liao Zhibin, 24, Song Zhenhao, 26, and Guo Jiawei, 27 – were found to have 160 kilograms (353 pounds) of the live crustaceans in their possession on Wednesday, according to police on the Amami Islands, near Okinawa. Police said a hotel worker in Amami, a city on the island of Amami Oshima, alerted environmental authorities after spotting something suspicious about the suitcases the three men had asked hotel staff to watch. 'They heard rustling sounds coming from a suitcase that was being held in storage,' a police officer told CNN. Officers later arrived at the hotel and found the spiral-shelled hermit crabs stuffed into six suitcases, according to police. When they returned to the hotel on Wednesday, the three men were arrested for possessing the crustaceans without proper authorization, Kyodo News reported. It's unknown why the three men were transporting the crustaceans. Police did not provide more detail on the exact species, but told CNN Friday that the hermit crabs seized are classified as 'national natural monuments' in Japan because of their cultural and scientific value, and protected under Japanese law. The Amami archipelago, off southwestern Kyushu and just north of Okinawa, is a popular tourist destination and known to be home to a diverse array of native plants and animals.
