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The Santa Monica restaurant found to be serving endangered whale meat sushi could find themselves off the proverbial hook, according to an AP report published on cbs2. Federal prosecutors are moving to dismiss the charges against Typhoon Restaurant, Inc., the parent company of the now-closed The Hump, and 45-year-old chef Kiyoshiro Yamamoto.
However, even if the charges are dismissed, that does not mean the case is over. The U.S. attorney's office notes that the prosecutors are seeking to dismiss the charges "without prejudice," which means "they could refile them in the future."
The motive to dismiss the charges has not been explained publicly, and a U.S. attorney's office spokesman says "the investigation into The Hump restaurant in Santa Monica remains open and active."
With protests and backlash against The Hump, Typhoon decided last month to close the sushi restaurant. Possible plans for the now-vacant space owned by the City of Santa Monica include a vegan restaurant run by animal-rights activist Ady Gil.
