‘I could go to Japan for free’, says US woman caught with smuggled cannabis

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TOKYO: Two American women have been arrested at Tokyo's Haneda Airport for allegedly attempting to smuggle nearly $1 million worth of cannabis into Japan. 

The pair, both 25 years old, arrived from New York carrying two suitcases containing approximately 30 kilograms of dried cannabis secretly stored inside, with an estimated value of 150 million yen ($970,000).

According to Japanese media reports, one of the suspects admitted taking the smuggling job for money and because she was enticed by the prospect of visiting Japan free of charge. 

Conversely, the second woman denied any knowledge of the scheme, telling police officers she did not know illegal narcotics were concealed inside the luggage.

A Tokyo police spokesman stated the women conspired with an unknown accomplice and were arrested on suspicion of violating drug control laws by smuggling to gain profit, alongside two other statutory breaches.

Japan maintains exceptionally strict drug enforcement laws. Trafficking narcotics for profit carries severe penalties under local regulations, including up to 10 years in prison and fines reaching three million yen ($19,500).