A man 44 year old man was arrested on suspicion of violating the Fisheries Resources Protection Act and the Hokkaido Fisheries Adjustment Regulations.
He is accused of poaching approximately 29 salmon on October 2 of last year using a hook along the left bank of the Uebetsu River in Shari Town.
At the time, about 10 people were reportedly spotted at the scene. So far, five individuals, including a 32-year-old man believed to be the ringleader and a man of Vietnamese Nationality, have been arrested.
The police have not disclosed whether the suspect admitted to the charges, citing the presence of accomplices still at large.
This case has already led to the arrest and prosecution of five individuals, some of whom have reportedly stated that they gathered through social media. This has led the police to suspect that the crime was carried out by Tokuryu, an anonymous and fluid crime group, and they are continuing their investigation.
The police believe that the suspects were recruited through “dark part-time jobs” and are actively searching for the accomplices who remain on the run.
