Crime Largest bust of ketamine at Haneda so far (40kg)

Tokyo police and customs authorities have uncovered what is believed to be their largest seizure of the anaesthetic drug ketamine to date, concealed in two suitcases brought through Haneda Airport. On Friday, Tokyo Customs announced that they had filed a criminal complaint against a French national suspected of attempting to smuggle approximately 40 kilograms of ketamine into the country. The suspect, identified as a 21-year-old cook, was detained at Haneda Airport in April after arriving on a flight from Germany. Officials confirmed the substance was discovered during a customs inspection of her luggage.

The seized drugs had an estimated street value of about 920 million yen ($8.8 million), according to Japan's NHK television. Ketamine is a powerful anesthetic approved by U.S. health regulators for use during surgery. It can be given as an intramuscular injection or intravenously. The drug is used recreationally for its euphoric effects and can cause hallucinations or impact breathing and the heart.

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40kg is 88lbs that's a serious amount of luggage, to bring in. I'd like to think they'd always catch something over the top like this but not sure. Not sure why he was so brazen either. Kinda hard to hide such an amount among other things. Japan is not a country you want to be caught smuggling drugs either. I suppose he could have simply not known what was in it and paid to bring it but that is not smart either. You can pretty much guess it is not something legal inside.

salyavin said:

40kg is 88lbs that's a serious amount of luggage, to bring in. I'd like to think they'd always catch something over the top like this but not sure. Not sure why he was so brazen either. Kinda hard to hide such an amount among other things. Japan is not a country you want to be caught smuggling drugs either. I suppose he could have simply not known what was in it and paid to bring it but that is not smart either. You can pretty much guess it is not something legal inside.

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It's only two suitcases worth. But that's the amount I usually take out of the country. My suitcases are mostly empty coming in.

It was a 21-year-old French woman. Unfortunately for her she's probably going to spend a few years in the Japanese prison system. Maybe not as bad as El Salvador but it won't be a holiday.

Yea but two suitcases worth of drugs is a lot. It's not like you are hiding that in your snacks or clothes or something. One guess is she was one of those told hey take these two heavy suitcases with you to Japan and never open them and we will give you some money. I am sure you have seen warnings about that, being 21 maybe she fell for it? Pretty silly like what do you think would be in them.
Yes we also travel with empty suitcases to take a lot of things out of Japan. Our Japanese school often wants a lot of dagashi or books for the community fair (the school pays for it) so children luggage allowance also gets used for many local Japanese with school age kids.