During the investigation, law enforcement found nearly 100 kilograms of kakuseizai, or methamphetamine, reports NHK (Oct. 10).
On September 17, British national Kim Tung Nguyen, 24, allegedly conspired with American national Jason Scott Raymond, 25, to smuggle approximately 17 kilograms of methamphetamine — with a street value of approximately 970 million yen — in suitcases from Los Angeles International Airport to Haneda Airport.
Both suspects deny violating the Stimulants Control Act regarding smuggling, police said.
Another American man, 27, who entered the country on the same flight, was arrested on the same day on suspicion of violating the Stimulants Control Act for allegedly smuggling another stimulant drug in a different suitcase.
Subsequent investigations revealed that Nguyen and Raymond were involved in the same crime. An examination of security camera footage showed Scott handing a suitcase believed to contain methamphetamine to Nguyen.
Officers later seized six suitcases containing a total of 97.7 kilograms of methamphetamine (valued at 5.67 billion yen) at a private lodging facility in Ota Ward where Nguyen was staying.
According to Nippon News Network (Oct. 10), a third American suspect has also been arrested in the case. The total amount of methamphetamine smuggled by the four suspects inside nine suitcases carried on that flight is believed to total around 147 kilograms, which has a street value of around 8.5 billion yen.
Record high
According to police, 74 people have been arrested this year alone for involvement in drug smuggling cases at Haneda Airport as of October 9. Of these, 25 cases involved methamphetamine.
In addition to this case, approximately 345 kilograms of methamphetamine — worth approximately 20.01 billion yen — have been seized. The number of arrests surpasses the previous record of 48 people, which was for all of last year.
