Two American women have been arrested on suspicion of smuggling cannabis worth about $1 million into Japan after arriving at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport from New York.
The women, both aged 25, allegedly carried two suitcases containing 35 bags of “cannabis-like dried plants” which had been secretly hidden inside. The haul weighed about 66lb (30kg) and was valued at approximately 150 million yen at street prices, according to local reports.
Japanese customs officers reportedly became suspicious during an inspection and searched the luggage, discovering the cannabis inside the black suitcases.
Police said the bags had been loaded on to a flight in New York on September 4 before the pair arrived in Japan the following day.
Investigators believe the women, who were friends, had conspired with another person whose identity was unknown. They allegedly told authorities that a man they met through social media had given them instructions, although neither had met him in person.
One of the women reportedly admitted the offence, telling Tokyo police she had accepted the job for the money and was “attracted by the fact I could go to Japan for free”.
The other woman denied knowing about the drugs, allegedly saying she “didn’t know that cannabis was inside” the suitcases.
The pair were arrested on suspicion of violating Japan’s drugs and psychotropics control law by allegedly smuggling cannabis for profit. A police department spokesman said they were also accused of breaching two other laws, which were not named.
Anyone convicted of smuggling cannabis for profit in Japan can face up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to three million yen.
Japan has some of the world’s strictest anti-drug laws. Bringing cannabis products into the country can result in arrest and deportation, even when the products were legally bought elsewhere.
Certain cannabis-derived medicines can be used for severe conditions, including rare forms of epilepsy, but only under strict medical supervision. Smokable medical cannabis and wider patient access remain prohibited.
