Three Chinese nationals have been arrested on a Japanese holiday island after police discovered thousands of protected hermit crabs stuffed into their luggage. The suspects, identified as Liao Zhibin, 24, Song Zhenhao, 26, and Guo Jiawei, 27, were caught in possession of approximately 160 kilograms of live crustaceans on Wednesday in the Amami Islands, located near Okinawa.
The situation came to light when a hotel employee in Amami, a city on Amami Oshima Island, noticed suspicious activity regarding several suitcases the men had requested staff to look after. The employee reported unusual rustling sounds emanating from the luggage. After police were alerted, they inspected the bags and found the spiral-shelled hermit crabs packed inside six suitcases.
Upon returning to the hotel, law enforcement officers arrested the three men for possessing the crabs without the necessary permits. While the reasons for transporting the crabs remain unclear, they are classified as “national natural monuments” in Japan due to their cultural and scientific value, making them protected under Japanese law.
The Amami archipelago, situated off the south-western coast of Kyushu and north of Okinawa, is a renowned tourist destination known for its rich biodiversity, including a wealth of native flora and fauna. Police have not disclosed further details regarding the specific species of the hermit crabs involved in this incident.