Japanese Greenpeace activists Arrested

Two activists have been arrested by Japanese police, for apparently stealing a box of whale meat, which led to exposing the government-sponsored whaling programme.

A box of whale meat from a whaling ship was shipped to a private address, later to be used as evidence, proving the general corruption on the matter and exposing the scandal by passing the evidence to the Public Prosecutor in Tokyo, of which no investigation was filed.

Japanese police went on to seize media applications such as mobile phones, laptops, and even documents, when the news broke of the arrest, with the government effectively shutting greenpace down.

Other investigations have recovered eveidence of corruption within the crew, who were stealing the most premium of cuts for illegal resale.

A four-month undercover investigation revealed evidence of an embezzlement ring involving crew members on board the Nisshin Maru, who were openly taking the best cuts of whale meat during the so-called scientific hunt, smuggling it ashore disguised as personal luggage and then passing it to traders for illegal sales.

Information suggests some crew members were taking up to 20 boxes each, with each kg in the box worth over well in excess of $100.

The irony of the case is that the project is funded by Japanese taxpayers, including the Greenpeace activists, yet crew members, who changed their official story, from receiving no whale meat, to receiving souvenirs as a thanks for their work, use tax payers money to hunt, and then profit themselves.

One way or the other, 23.5kg recovered in a recent smuggling attempt tracked by greenpeace, is definitely not an official souvenir.