Sushi Chef Indicted for Selling Whale Meat in Santa Monica, CA

Chef Yamamoto (photo courtesy of Eater)

Various outlets have been reporting over the last few years about the growing problem of restaurants serving illegal foods such as endangered species of animals or mammals you just shouldn’t eat. Today the LA Times reported about an open case from a couple of years ago where an importer by the name of Ginichi Ohira plead guilty to getting cracked for conspiring to import and sell illegal whale meat. Mislabeling the meat from Sei Whales as Fatty Tuna from the years 2007 to 2010 Owners of the now closed (because of this case) The Hump, which was housed in the Santa Monica Airport have also been charged with Conspiracy, Smuggling, Obstructing an official proceeding, Unlawful sale of whale meat and Violating the marine mammal act. 

More Info & Photos after the jump