Three people were arrested for illegally exporting around 30 tons of wagyu beef from Japan to Hong Kong by falsely claiming it would be sent to Cambodia, local police said Thursday.
Sun Yongchao, 53, a trading company executive from China, Wang Ennian, 71, a corporate officer at a separate firm, and Wang's daughter Hana Kiriyama, 45, were arrested on suspicion of violating the customs law and the law on the prevention of infectious diseases in livestock.
The three based in Fukuoka, southwestern Japan, allegedly conspired between August and October 2023 to declare frozen wagyu beef valued at approximately 240 million yen as destined for Cambodia.
The beef was subsequently sent to Hong Kong without the required certification that is usually issued after it is inspected for infectious diseases from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
According to the Fukuoka prefectural police, wagyu beef bound for Hong Kong must go through sanitary control procedures at a facility designated by the ministry, although the procedures are not necessary for meat destined for Cambodia.
Police believe the suspects were attempting to reduce export costs amid rising overseas demand.
© KYODO
21 Comments
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owzer
Finally! We have the answer to the question asked 40 years ago! “Where’s the beef!?”
Namahage
There is certainly a lot at stake.
Urbestbud
Lol. @owzer that reference is too old and cultural to only America. But good to know I'm not the only one who remembers a bunch of old ladies in a Wendy's commercial.
Urbestbud
@namahage Very pun-ny.
BB
Luckily if you peruse the statistics this is a fairly rare crime. Or at least medium rare.
stormcrow
Where’s the BEEF?!
HopeSpringsEternal
Seems a BEEFY 'hunger' for FATTY Profits!
CAPTAIN
They gonna get 'grilled' by the authorities
HopeSpringsEternal
Morons, as who sends massive quantities of expensive beef to a poor country like Cambodia? It doesn't pass the 'smell' test!
fxgai
I read elsewhere that Japan is going to discuss the importance of “free trade” with the British.
Why one rule for Hong Kong and another for Cambodia?
factchecker
30 tons is a lot to 'beef' about
The_Beagle
I have heard Hong Kong has the highest per capita meat consumption in the world, hence their longest life expectancy as well.
リッチ
Why would Japan honestly care? Artificially raising the price for HK people? Exports are just that. If the receiving country doesn’t accept them it’s their loss. The amount of wasted time on these kinds of issues are so annoying as they are just wasting tax dollars
zulander
Because China
Wasabi
Export rules, Contracts, Customs, International Agreement, Quota etc...
Nagoya Neko
At least H.K. was planning to serve real Wagyu. Many fakes out there.
Sanjinosebleed
I wonder how many were involved in the stake out…
I suppose they are cooked now…well done…team ( I prefer medium rare)…
iron man
HK is the largest importer of japanese food in the world, or was, before seafood (how do I underline??) imports 'dried up'. Methinks Aus has the highest LAND meat consumption in the world. HK did have the longest life expectancy in until 2022 (W.H.O.) guess which nation of 140mlln took the honour back.. SEAFOOD rules.
HopeSpringsEternal
It's true, HK is #2 in life expectancy to Monaco, which of course is loaded with fat cats who take health seriously.
HK has a serious food culture, people eat tons of beef and pork but its largely high-quality grain fed, not the lousy animal feed full of hormones they give to folks most elsewhere in China and the world for that matter.
Health is wealth after all, and it feels good to be healthy!
WoodyLee
"" Ealier on Friday, Moody's downgraded the credit rating of Nissan to junk, saying the decision "reflects Nissan's weak profitability driven by slowing demand for its ageing model portfolio""
So why they did it ??
Probably it costs an arm and leg to get it certified OR another Exporter / Dealer has full monopoly and control over exporting this beef to Hong Kong
SwissToni
Wonder if I’m the only person here who finds any Wagyu over A3 deeply unpleasant.