Japanese man jailed in Ecuador for trying to smuggle out insects

Seems to be a lot of Japanese criminals in foreign countries. We had the turtle smuggler and the Ponzi scheme guys the other day, and now this guy.

A disproportionate number of Japanese seem to be involved in this sort of thing. The most famous was probably Hisayoshi Kojima who ran an international butterfly smuggling ring. Their life of crime starts with those little net and beetle terrarium sets that are so ubiquitous at every 100 yen shop.

but why tho

2 years in prison seems excessive for taking cockroaches. Most people spray them!

2 years in prison seems excessive for taking cockroaches. Most people spray them!

That is the law in Ecuador, and he is under their jurisdiction. Exceptions ate not made just becsuse he is a Japanese national.

2 years in prison seems excessive for taking cockroaches. Most people spray them!

Because the guy is a POACHER, an animal SMUGGLER, THAT is why he was jailed & rightly so! Common sense

Hold on there, Hirokazu-kun, we got plenty of bugs in Japan. Even those devilish fire ants have made their way here! Hate them nasty buzzards.

We do NOT need insects that are not indigenous to Japan. If they do not exist, there are likely no known predators therefore they will expand beyond a natural balance and environmental problems will abound. The biodiversity will become imbalanced. Probably one of the worst things you could do to the ecosystem.

Unless of course they were all already dead (which is not stated).

Somebody who expects to stuff his luggage with hundred of bugs and expect to pass airport security, doesn't seem like a criminal Mastermind.

Have to give him that he knows how to catch his bugs.

Let the poor soul go, or be prosecuted in japan. They will break it in an Ecuador Jail.

The defendant intended to bring the animals, five of which are indigenous to Ecuador and some which were still alive, to the island of Hokkaido in northern Japan.

I thought they were insects...

Animal...a living organism that feeds on organic matter, typically having specialized sense organs and nervous system and able to respond rapidly to stimuli.

insects are animals...

I do wonder what were the ones which were still alive and whether they could have caused problems for Japan. I assume the dead ones were just specimens for his collection.

insects are animals...

Yeah? Well ya gotta admit that spiders, cockroaches, wasps, bees and butterflies are not generally referred to as animals.

2 years in an Ecuador prison... sheesh, he's not coming out in one piece

Cockroaches? I am sure we have enough here already. He'll probably have enough in his cell and his food too. Bon appetit.

Well ya gotta admit that spiders, cockroaches, wasps, bees and butterflies are not generally referred to as animals.

referred to or not they still are animals, arthropods and insects of the animal kingdom, basic biology 101

Spiders are not insects either if you want to get nit-picky.

Many more twists and turns to this story. His lawyers are appealing apparently. This guy works in Hokkaido for Kyushi University. He did have export permits for some of the butterflies, but pleaded ignorance regarding many of the other (pinned) specimens. He told the court that his acquaintance got through and out of Ecuador undetected.

And yet Ecuador allows drug pushers in their country to roam free.

2 years merely for some bugs?? Some people actually PAY others to remove bugs from their homes.

I agree with nandakandamanda ; there's more to this story than meets the eye. I wonder who paid off Ecuadorian officials to have a Japanese man jailed?

2 years merely for some bugs??

It's very apparent you never bothered to actually look into why they would do that, while still pronouncing judgement on it.

Fact check yourself son, it keeps you from saying stuff that makes you look ignorant.