Record 700 kg of cocaine seized at Yokohama Port

Local customs authorities suspect that a large international smuggling syndicate was involved 

Ya think?

@aomori, don’t be afraid to read the very first paragraph. It clearly gives the street value in both yen and dollars.

should auction it off in grams to stimulate economy and boost morale

Local customs authorities suspect that a large international smuggling syndicate was involved 

Always blame the foreigner and never admit guilt.There's no way this haul could have made it here without the local ring.

In Japan,if Japanese are arrested for drug possession and asked where they got the drug,the usual response is they got it from a gaijin on the streets and they do not know the gaijin,never met before and do not know where the gaijin went after that.This saves them a lot of investigation trouble.

Could be the stimulus that Japan badly needs...

When containers are booked with a shipping line their is an origin & destination, along with a lot of other stuff that needs to happen including Customs clearance at BOTH ends of the journey.

Shipping lines DO NOT leave containers onboard unless they truly made a mistake to offload at its destination or there were issues like bad weather, port congestion etc then a vessel may SKIP a port of call.

So my money is the container was destined for Yokohama port, Customs called for an inspection, had the container taken from the container yard & X-rayed, anything questionable would be easily seen & then they can physically check etc

So unless a foreign Customs authority tipped of J-Customs to offload a suspect container destined for elsewhere the container WAS destined to Yokohama!

Another bait and catch while the bigger shipment made it through a different route. Happens all the time.

But not in this volume. It's a lot of coke.

The govt should sell that to fund our 2 masks.

The customs authorities suspect the cocaine may have arrived in Yokohama by mistake after smugglers failed to retrieve the drugs that were loaded on the ship while it was overseas.

That explains it. At first I thought "700kgs of cocaine to Japan?? Things really have changed here."

I remember the 80's on the West Coast, it was everywhere - some people leaving it out on coffee tables like mints for guests. But I have never seen it in Japan, even when I used to have a nightlife.

It's snowing in Yokohama.

The customs authorities suspect the cocaine may have arrived in Yokohama by mistake after smugglers failed to retrieve the drugs that were loaded on the ship while it was overseas.

The coke was packed with highly perishable boxes of bananas that have a very limited shelf life. It seems very unlikely this stuff was not meant for Japan. Nice try to keep the 'there are no drugs in Japan' stance and blame it on another country though.

What are people supposed to do stuck at home? Just charge tariff and let the guy have a high.

I doubt there is such a large market for cocaine in Japan, unless things have changed considerably.

The cocaine market in Japan is thriving. I’m not sure what your competitor is when you say, “unless things have changed,” though.

This shipment was likely bound for domestic consumption.

Local customs authorities suspect that a large international smuggling syndicate was involved and are investigating the matter on suspicion of a violation of customs law.

You think?

Watched a few episodes of "Dope" on Netflix and it just further convinced me that the fact that drugs are illegal is ridiculous and that the war on drugs is a colossal waste of time and money and lives.

Legalize drugs, that is the only way to fight this problem.

Legalize cocaine? Long-term health effects of cocaine are known and devastating. What the hell are you talking about?

Where did the ship come come from? What port calls, if any, did it make before arriving in Yokohama? Who owns the ship?

It's so frustrating to read Japanese news. Yet another case of a "reporter" relaying info that was spoon-fed by the government, without bothering to make any further relevant inquiries.

Wow. That is a lot!

by the time this crap reaches the street it will have been stepped on so many times only about 5% of the original will remain so figure that into calculating its the street value

Portugal "legalised" consumption of all drugs in the 2000, i.e. 20 years ago.

The situation is by far not worse than in any of the most regulated countries and death by overdose have drop to the bottom.

Always blame the foreigner and never admit guilt.There's no way this haul could have made it here without the local ring.

While I agree they love to blame the foreigners, this haul was still on the ship. If a local ring were involved, we might not be hearing about it at all. I doubt there is such a large market for cocaine in Japan, unless things have changed considerably.

The cocaine, which was hidden in a shipping container housing boxes of bananas

I wonder where they came from in the first place?

@ old man -

Legalize drugs, that is the only way to fight this problem.

Madness. If dangerous drugs like cocaine were legalized, it would make it a legitimate choice. Addictions and deaths would soar. It would become much easier to get drugs, when right now its very difficult to get cocaine in Japan because there's zero tolerance.

What do you base that on?

Anecdotal evidence I’ve gathered by watching deals fo down and having a diverse range of friends.

Not sure what you confusion is about "unless things have changed." What competitor?

I meant comparator, not competitor. Apologies for that.

Since you don’t hang in those circles, upon what are you basing your opinion?

Regarding the authorities claiming the previous shipment you mentioned being a delivery mistake and claiming this shipment wasn’t bound for domestic consumption, they seem to be trying to protect the image that Japan doesn’t have severe issues with illegal drugs.

About 700 kilograms of cocaine with an estimated street value of 14 billion yen ($130 million)

sounds low

Maybe you are buying on the wrong street.

Probably thought things were a little more lax with Corona virus going on, and even most criminals seemingly in hiding due to fear of catching it (or less breaking and entering with people stuck at home). Glad they caught them. Now burn the drugs.

forget the masks pass some of that around....

Some bananas!

Test it against the corona virus. Apparently that crap kills everything in your nose, so maybe Corona too.

About 700 kilograms of cocaine with an estimated street value of 14 billion yen ($130 million)

sounds low

Only 2,000Y for a G? That is cheap!

Woops my bad... 20,000Y that is expensive...

Its a bit toppy yeah true

I told my wife please only by bananas in boxes from now on

""The customs authorities suspect the cocaine may have arrived in Yokohama by mistake after smugglers failed to retrieve the drugs that were loaded on the ship while it was overseas.""

Oh Really!? This is one way to not investigate or arrest the smugglers and just let the case FADE AWAY because it could turn out to be a VIP!!!

Japan five-O is on fire, fair play.

Local customs authorities suspect that a large international smuggling syndicate was involved and are investigating the matter on suspicion of a violation of customs law.

The cocaine market in Japan is thriving. I’m not sure what your competitor is when you say, “unless things have changed,” though.

What do you base that on? Not sure what you confusion is about "unless things have changed." What competitor?

It's interesting though, that just last year customs agents made a similar claim when seizing 400kg of cocaine in Kobe. They said that was a delivery mistake, too. On the other hand, cocaine use seems minimal in Japan. But that's just my impression, and I don't hang in those circles anyway. If anyone has better info, I'd like to hear it.

Madness. If dangerous drugs like cocaine were legalized, it would make it a legitimate choice. Addictions and deaths would soar.

Never mind the evidence to the contrary. Have a look at the Netherlands.

It would become much easier to get drugs, when right now its very difficult to get cocaine in Japan because there's zero tolerance.

If you want drugs, take a casual still through Kabukicho. It’s not difficult at all.

Legalize cocaine? Long-term health effects of cocaine are known and devastating. What the hell are you talking about?

It removes the criminality from cocaine sales and use while ensuring toxic “cutting” agents aren’t used.

The coke was packed with highly perishable boxes of bananas that have a very limited shelf life. 

Maybe you are right, but it has nothing to do with bananas. They last several weeks on ships easily. Container ships commonly stop at Japan, then Korea, China and down the coast. If the container was still on the ship, it could have been headed to several possible destinations.

That is 1/20th of the regular Daily seized in anyone specific port in USA.

Tony Montana forever!!

oldman_13Apr. 16  06:41 am JST

Legalize drugs, that is the only way to fight this problem

Does not seem so.......there's no end to it, marijuana is already legalized in some western countries, but the junkies are now talking of legalize cocaine, next will be heroin, next will be crystal meth.....bla bla blah.

Marijuana /ganja/ weeds are past tense, for recreation purposes only, after legalization, it costs twice the black market, drug junkies have no interest in this honestly, they want something cheap and potent, and drug dealers resort in mixing them with fentanyl or carfentanyl.

Legalization is needed.

Cut out the cartels, smugglers and other dodgy players.

Am not advocating cocaine use, by the way. But think of the revenue in taxes.

Another bait and catch while the bigger shipment made it through a different route. Happens all the time.

There's a fine line between snuggling drugs our getting caught.

Always blame the foreigner and never admit guilt.There's no way this haul could have made it here without the local ring.

and the local ring is full of foreigners.

700 kg = 1540 lbs.

Phew, that's a lot blow. Wonder what the estimated Japanese street value would have been?

Legalize drugs, that is the only way to fight this problem.

Many decades of the traditional way of tackling the drug problem has done absolutely nothing to make it better.

just routine, not a news