Three men arrested for smuggling thousands of hermit crabs

Japanese police have arrested three Chinese nationals for attempting to smuggle thousands of protected hermit crabs from the Amami Islands.

Hotel staff became suspicious of unusual rustling sounds coming from their luggage.

The hotel, located on the island of Amami Oshima, alerted authorities, who found around 160 kilograms of live hermit crabs packed into six suitcases. Police arrested the three men for violating Japan’s nature conservation laws.

Hermit crabs on the Amami Islands are considered “national natural monuments” in Japan. This means they are protected due to their environmental and cultural importance. Possessing or transporting them without special permission is illegal.

Each crab can be sold for as much as 20,000 yen (about $137) on the black market. Police are investigating whether the suspects intended to sell the animals as pets, consume them, or ship them abroad.

The case highlights ongoing problems with wildlife smuggling in Japan and across Asia, where exotic animals are often targeted for profit.

Hermit crabs

Hermit crabs are small crustaceans that do not grow their own shells. Instead, they live in abandoned shells, often from sea snails. They are popular pets in some countries.

Removing them from their natural environment threatens local ecosystems. In Japan, protecting these animals is part of a broader effort to preserve the country’s rich biodiversity, especially on unique island habitats like Amami Oshima.