Four Chinese nationals have been arrested on Wednesday under suspicion of smuggling approximately 700 kilograms of illegal stimulants from the United Arab Emirates. The arrest was made by Tokyo police and customs officials who are investigating the illicit drug trade. This seizure is now recognized as the second-largest single confiscation of its kind in Japan.
The stimulants were discovered in containers on a ship that arrived at the Port of Tokyo after transiting through China. Tokyo Customs, during a routine inspection in March, found suspicious powders concealed within the containers. The authorities suspect the involvement of an international smuggling ring and are diligently working to establish potential connections.
According to the police, the four Chinese suspects, aged between 35 and 51, reside in Tokyo, Yokohama, and Kawasaki. Two of them have been arrested for their alleged involvement in conspiring with others to import a significant quantity of stimulants. The illegal substances were disguised as cargo within containers originating from Dubai, passing through China, and ultimately reaching Tokyo. The cargo was unloaded on March 5.
Tokyo Customs discovered the stimulants hidden inside 175 boards, each approximately 3 centimeters thick, which were placed in seven containers. The inspection conducted by Tokyo Customs raised concerns, leading to a subsequent investigation by the police.
After being transported, the boards were eventually traced to a company’s premises in Chiba Prefecture. The police successfully tracked down the cargo, resulting in the arrest of the four individuals involved in the smuggling operation.
It is worth noting that the largest-ever one-time confiscation of stimulants in Japan occurred in 2019, when approximately 1 ton of illegal substances was seized at a beach in Shizuoka Prefecture, central Japan. In connection with that case, seven Chinese men were arrested and faced charges related to the illicit drug trade.
