The U.S. has fined a Japanese shipping company $1 million for covering up the intentional oil pollution of the waters off North Carolina last year.
"This case demonstrates that those who pollute our oceans and deliberately mislead U.S. Coast Guard officials will be brought to justice," Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Wood said.
The company that owns the Atlantic Oasis admitted its engineers failed to document the illegal discharge of oily waste into the Atlantic.
The Justice Department says it hopes the penalties and harsh fines will deter anyone who would use the environment as a dumping ground.