A Japanese restaurant called The Hump was the subject of a covert operation by animal activists and may now face criminal indictment for selling whale meat. The sting was organized by Louie Psihoyos, director of “The Cove,” which focused on dolphin hunting and won the academy award this month.

The U.S. Attorneys Office confirmed the investigation and indictments as early as this week. The video reportedly shows a waitress serving what she called “whale” in thick pink slices. The vegan investigators put the meat in a purse and took it to Scott Baker, associate director of Oregon State University’s Marine Mammal Institute. Baker determined that the meat was from a Sei whale, which is endangered, but still hunted by the Japanese.

It is really hard to believe that any restaurant would be this stupid to sell whale meat. Such a crime can lead to a year in prison and a fine of $20,000.

In the meantime, the academy award for The Cove has not been received well in Japan, where the government still supports the annual and gruesome slaughter of dolphin (here). The Japanese government still uses “research” exceptions to the whale hunting ban to supply meat to the Japanese markets despite international condemnations.

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