Osaka pet shop owner arrested for illegally keeping a saltwater crocodile
Police detained 34-year-old Soma Satomi in Osaka after discovering he was housing a 1.5-meter saltwater crocodile and several turtles without official permission.
Osaka prefectural police arrested Soma Satomi, who operates a pet shop, on suspicion of keeping a large saltwater crocodile, an alligator snapping turtle, and 21 common snapping turtles without required permits. The crocodile, measuring about 1.5 meters, was found in a tank at his shop. Satomi admitted the allegations and said the animals were kept as pets, not for sale. Authorities are now probing how the restricted species entered his possession. The investigation follows a search of the shop on Sept. 1.
Why it matters
The arrest underscores strict Japanese rules on keeping dangerous and protected wildlife as private pets.
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