TOKYO (TR) – An anti-organized crime unit of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police has arrested the husband of fashion model Reiko Takagaki, 38, over the alleged smuggling of 4 kilograms of gold from Hong Kong last year, reports the Yomiuri Shimbun (Mar. 9).
On November 19, a 36-year-old female restaurant employee was found to be in possession of four gold bars each weighing 1 kilogram inside a bag upon arrival at Haneda Airport from Hong Kong.
According to customs officials, Takagi’s husband, 41-year-old music producer Masanori Morita, allegedly arranged for the purchase of the bars, valued at about 18 million yen.
Morita has been accused of violating the customs and consumption tax acts for attempting to avoid paying 1.47 million yen in consumption tax by not declaring the precious metal.
The woman and a 35-year-old male company employee from Minato Ward have also been arrested in the case.
In 1995, Takagaki made her debut as an exclusive model for Petit Seven. Beginning in February of 2008, she entered into a similar agreement with AneCan.
Takagaki married speed skater Hiroyasu Shimizu in 2010, but they divorced the following year. She married Morita in 2015.
Update: Morita told police that he began smuggling gold last summer, adding that he has visited Hong Kong several times, according to Nippon News Network (Mar. 9). He was sent to prosecutors on Friday morning.
