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Officers at Naha Airport on Japan's southern island of Okinawa
arrested Harris on Nov. 16 for an alleged violation of customs
law for having 0.78 grams (0.0275 ounces ) of the crystalized
drug, also known as MDMA, in a container in a tote bag he was
carrying, according to Okinawa Regional Customs spokesperson
Tatsunori Fukuda.
Harris, 36, had left London's Heathrow Airport two days earlier
and transited in Taiwan's Taoyuan International Airport before
arriving in Naha for sightseeing, Fukuda said. Okinawa is a
popular resort destination with mild weather throughout the
year.
Fukuda said Harris was arrested on the spot and taken into
custody by the Tomishiro police, which filed a criminal
complaint to the Naha District Prosecutors' Office Thursday for
further investigation and possible indictment.
Japanese authorities did not find any other drugs in his luggage
and believe the MDMA was for his personal use. They are still
investigating, Fukuda said, while adding that whether Harris
made any comment on the case could not be released.
There was no immediate comment from Harris’ representatives.
Japanese criminal procedures allow investigators to keep a
suspect in custody for up to 23 days before indictment, and
pretrial detention can be prolonged if the accused exercises
their right of silence or denies the charges, a practice widely
criticized as “hostage justice.”
Those convicted of drug smuggling in Japan can face a multiyear
prison term.
Harris burst onto the arts scene with “Slave Play,” written
while he was still a graduate student at the Yale School of
Drama. It premiered off-Broadway in 2018, inciting controversy
and even a petition to shut down the production with its
provocative mix of race, class and sexual taboos. It moved to
Broadway the following year, earning a Tony nomination for best
play, but did not win an award.
In addition to small acting roles, he’s cameoed as himself on a
rebooted “Gossip Girl” and served as a coproducer on several
episodes of HBO’s hit series “Euphoria.”
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Associated Press writer Mallika Sen in New York contributed to
this report.
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