Three people were arrested for illegally exporting around 30 tonnes of Wagyu beef from Japan to Hong Kong by falsely claiming it would be sent to Cambodia, local police said on Thursday.
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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 around 240 million yen (US$1.6 million) 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.
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Police believe the suspects were attempting to reduce export costs amid rising overseas demand.