IBARAKI (TR) – Ibaraki Prefectural Police have arrested a mental health social worker for Tsukuba City over the alleged smuggling of stimulant drugs, reports NHK (April 19).
In March, a package addressed to Hajime Onda, 59, arrived from Afghanistan at Yokohama Customs containing about 840 grams of kakuseizai, or stimulant drugs, concealed in the wood frames of art works.
The frames were packed in a cardboard box sent through the international mail. Eight of the 22 frames contained the contraband, which has a street value of 50 million yen, police said.
After alerting Ibaraki police, Yokohama Customs sent the package onward to Onda’s residence in Tsukuba.
On March 29, police arrested Onda on suspicion of violating the Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Law. “I thought it was a gift from someone I met on social media,” Onda said.
The investigation continued. On April 19, police further accused him of smuggling. “I really don’t know anything [about the matter],” Onda said in denying the allegations.
