2013-02-04

Chef Faces Prison Sentence For Serving Whale Meat

A chef who served meat from an endangered species of whale at a restaurant in Santa Monica, California, could face a lengthy prison sentence after being indicted by a grand jury.

The Hump sushi restaurant was raided in 2010 after an undercover operation and DNA analysis revealed that the meat, imported from Japan and described on an invoice as fatty tuna, had actually come from endangered sei whales.

The two chefs involved could face sentences of up to 67 and 10 years respectively, while the company they worked for is facing a $1.2 million fine. The offences were allegedly committed between 2007 and 2010 in violation of the US's Marine Mammal Protection Act.