KANAGAWA (TR) – A 30-year-old man was sent to prosecutors last week over the alleged smuggling of liquid cannabis from the U.S., reports Kyodo News (Feb. 23).
Three times in June and July of last year, Hiroki Ishii, a senior partner at a limited company, allegedly smuggled a total 230 cartridges of liquid cannabis into Japan in shipments sent through the international postal mail.
The amount of liquid cannabis in the cartridges totaled 211 grams, according to the indictment.
A staff member at the Kawasaki branch of Yokohama Customs discovered the contraband concealed in a box of headphones contained in one of the shipments.
The Kanto Narcotics Control Department arrested Ishii two times this year on suspicion of violating the Cannabis Control Law. He was sent to the Yokohama District Public Prosecutor’s Office last week.
The cartridges are the same as those used for e-cigarettes. A seizure of this kind is very rare, according to the customs house.
The customs house believes the smuggling was carried out to sell the drugs. The house is now attempting to determine who mailed the contraband.
