Three men have been arrested for trying to smuggle 160kg of live hermit crabs out of Japan.
The three men, all in their 20s and identified as Chinese nationals, were arrested on an island, Amami, where hermit crabs are a protected species.
Authorities were alerted when hotel staff noticed the men’s luggage was making a “rustling” sound.
Police said they were investigating if the men were planning on selling the crabs, keeping them as pets, or eating them.
An individual hermit crab can be sold for over R2,000 according to the BBC.
Image by Peggy Dyar from Pixabay