TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police on Monday announced the arrest of a former organized crime member for the sale of stimulant drugs to musician Aska two years ago, reports Nippon News Network (Jan. 26).
Officers took Koya Yoshida, a 58-year-old former upper member of the Yamaguchi-gumi, into custody for selling three grams of stimulant drugs to Aska, 56, whose real name is Shigeaki Miyazaki, for 300,000 yen at the musician’s apartment in Meguro Ward in December of 2012.
In September, the Tokyo District Court handed the singer, one half of the duo Chage and Aska, a suspended three-year prison sentence for possession and use of stimulant drugs.
According to the Asahi Shimbun (Jan. 26), Yoshida denies the allegations, telling police that he and Aska are acquaintances only, and that he did not sell drugs to the singer.
Aska claims that he bought drugs from Yoshida on approximately 10 occasions beginning in late 2012, the Asahi reported.