KANAGAWA (TR) – Kanagawa Prefectural Police have arrested a male German executive at Volkswagen Group Japan over the alleged use of stimulant drugs, reports NHK (June 14).
On Wednesday, police announced the arrest of Thomas Siebert, 53, for allegedly using kakuseizai, or stimulant drugs, in the Tokyo area earlier this month.
Siebert told police that he used cocaine but he denied using any other drugs, the Kanazawa Police Station said.
The matter came to light after police were tipped off by a branch of Yokohama Customs about items sent through the mail to the suspect. Police subsequently searched the residence of the suspect in Tokyo’s Minato Ward. The results of a urine test given to the suspect were positive for stimulant drugs.
“It is extremely regrettable that an employee was arrested,” a representative of the company said in offering an apology. “We will fully cooperate with the investigation as well as deal with the matter as the facts become clear.”
According to the Asahi Shimbun (June 14), Siebert has been the general manager of a maintenance and inspection division of the company since 2010.
Police are now investigating how the suspect obtained the drugs.