OKINAWA (TR) – Okinawa Prefectural Police on Sunday arrested an infielder for the Chiba Lotte Marines for the possession of live ammunition in Naha City, reports Nikkan Sports (Feb. 22).
At approximately 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, Yamaico Navarro, a 28-year-old native of the Dominican Republic, was found to have one live bullet inside a bag during a security screening at Naha Airport.
Navarro, who has been charged with violating the Swords and Firearms Control Law, admits to the allegations. “It is legal in my home country, and I unknowingly mixed (the bullet) into my luggage brought from home.”
Navarro is in Okinawa for the Marines’ spring camp. He played with the Boston Red Sox, Kansas City Royals, Pittsburgh Pirates and Baltimore Orioles before joining the Samsung Lions in Korea in 2014. Last year, he slugged 48 home runs and drove in 137 runs for the Lions.
In the offseason, the Marines signed Navarro to a one-year contract worth 140 million yen.