OSAKA (TR) – Osaka Prefectural Police have arrested two American nationals who play for a professional football team over the alleged possession of marijuana, reports Kyodo News (Nov. 26).
On Monday, police arrested Edward Burns, a 26-year-old player for the Panasonic Impulse of the X-League, after finding a small quantity of marijuana at his residence.
Police also accused his teammate, Benjamin Anderson, also 26, of importing marijuana contained inside a package that arrived from the United States via the postal mail on September 25.
The pair live in the same residence. Police did not reveal whether the suspects admit to the allegations.
Since its founding in 1974, the Osaka-based Panasonic Impulse has won the Rice Bowl four times, with the most recent title coming in 2015. For the 2017 campaign, Anderson, who plays quarterback, was named the league’s Most Valuable Player.
“We would like to apologize to the fans and all concerned parties,” said head coach Nobuyoshi Araki. “In addition to investigating the cause of the matter, we will strive to prevent a recurrence.”