Importer Ginichi Ohira pleads guilty to selling endangered sei whale meat

(CBS/KCBS) LOS ANGELES - Los Angeles-area seafood dealer Ginichi Y. Ohira is facing up to one year in prison and a fine of $100,000 after pleading guilty Tuesday to importing and selling endangered whale meat from Tokyo.

Ohira, 50, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of knowingly selling a marine mammal product for an unauthorized purpose, in violation of the federal Marine Mammal Protection Act, according to CBS station KCBS.

Ohira reportedly sold protected sei whale meat to a restaurant called the Hump in Santa Monica, Calif., which was forced to shut down after undercover agents and environmental advocates discovered the violation.

Ohira began importing whale meat 10 years ago, according to the station.

Sei whales are listed as an endangered species, and the sale of all whale meat is prohibited in the United States by the Marine Mammal Protection Act, reports KCBS.

Ohira will be sentenced on Sept. 27, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.