Tokyo police have arrested a reptile wholesaler from Shizuoka and two other people on suspicion of illegally breeding and falsely registering four false gavials, a type of endangered crocodile, it was learned Wednesday.
By law, baby false gavials born through breeding may be sold if they are registered with authorities. On the black market, they sell for about 100,000 yen apiece, but the figure can jump to more than 1 million yen if the animals are registered, according to industry insiders.
The suspects include Tsuyoshi Shirawa, 36, who runs reptile wholesaler Rep Japan, and 59-year-old Toshio Imai, director of a tropical theme park in the hot springs town of Kusatsu, Gunma Prefecture.
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