Brazilian federal police said Friday they have arrested a 56-year-old Japanese man on suspicion of masterminding illegal trading in species from the Amazon rain forest.
The police arrested Shoji Hashimoto on Thursday after a 40-day investigation that began when locals revealed he was illegally trapping native Amazonian species. He was released early Friday after putting up bail equivalent to $10.
The police seized some 2,000 dead insects, including butterflies, that were in his possession, but Brazil's federal environmental agency, Ibama, said 7,000 insects were seized, including rare species of butterfly and beetle.
Hashimoto was not available to comment on the charges because he spent most of the day at federal police headquarters in Manaus providing further information for the investigation, in the presence of his lawyer.