Violation case study - import prohibition sanction

On April 01, 2011, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry ("METI") announced the trade sanction to a Japanese national individual who violated the import control of Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Law ("FEFTL"). The sanction is the prohibition of any kind of import (including the import transaction through third party) for 1 month from April 08, 2011 to May 07, 2011 based on Article 53 (2) of FEFTL.

The law prescribe the sanction is for a period of not more than one year, therefore the 1 month sanction is not so severe one. The violation of this individual was to import bird's feather from United States which is restricted under CITES without import approval. (Violation of Article 52 of FEFTL). The bird's feather is in CITES Appendix I, that are threatened with extinction and the trade in wild-caught specimens of these species is illegal (permitted only in exceptional licenced circumstances).

So, why this guy imported the feather into Japan? What purpose? If you search this guy's name in google, you can easily find his profile and web site. He sold the bird's feather as fishing imitation bait through online sales! I'm not so familiar with fishing technique, but the CITES Appendix I bird's feather is worth while violating FEFTL?

(Source: http://www.meti.go.jp/press/2011/04/20110401012/20110401012.html )