Two Irish men arrested over heroin possession in Tokyo karaoke parlor

I know the individual named and can tell you categorically he does not use heroin. All other posters in here are correct in assuming heroin is not a drug of choice in Ireland. It may have been a coke/heroin scam but the two guys arrested don't even know each other and werent travelling with one another. Wrong place, wrong time and now caught in an unfamiliar legal system as an English speaker. It amazes me how quickly people can judge that they were definitely guilty (from one article) and deserve what comes to them - easy to be an informed troll these days. If you knew the individual in question you would understand how little this story makes sense.

Mirroring S Cotsy’s comment, I also know the person in question personally. There is no way, in my experience, that the questioned would entertain the use of narcotics, let alone heroin. This whole article, among others, reads like a gross misrepresentation!

@Bugle Boy

Yes, we disagree. Let’s leave it at that.

It amazes me how quickly people can judge that they were definitely guilty (from one article) and deserve what comes to them - easy to be an informed troll these days. If you knew the individual in question you would understand how little this story makes sense.

Failte, a chara, agus go raibh maith agat.

Too often, we're quick to judge, especially when it's an anonymous forum. I hope the lads are innocent and aren't too traumatized by the whole experience.

INVALID CSRF

You and I disagree. We can agree on that right?

@Bungle,

LSD and acid? You obviously have no idea what you are talking about.

Your opinion is therefore meaningless.

Continuing with the LSD example, what harm to society are occasional, recreational users doing? Let’s say a couple of guys sitting at home doing it. 

Please clarify, using examples where possible.

Obviously the law was made for a specific reason. Or are you suggesting that LSD and acid are perfectly harmless? I’m guessing you have examples to illustrate that?

Please clarify your stance, using examples where possible.

@Bungle, I’d like some clarification too please.

Continuing with the LSD example, what harm to society are occasional, recreational users doing? Let’s say a couple of guys sitting at home doing it.

Please clarify, using examples where possible.

Anyway, do clarify what you meant.

Not sure how much clearer you need it until you understand.

Should alcoholics be locked up then?

Not unless they break the law. Why would you suggest it?

Regarding LSD, I think they should be locked up and go on forced rehab. Cold turkey. (insert "if he dies, he dies" meme here) Why? Because people on LSD do nothing good for themselves or society. Quite the opposite.

@Bungle - I don't think LSD users need rehab - it's not particularly addictive or harmful. Perhaps you are confused with some other drug. Perhaps heroin - without doubt the most dangerous drug to be hooked on long term.

Anyway, do clarify what you meant.

A stickler for the rules Bugle, you are certainly in the right country.

Has it not occurred to you that people who occasionally take LSD are perfectly capable of and do hold down jobs, many of which I’m sure are for the betterment of society?

Should alcoholics be locked up then? By your argument many of those do nothing for society either.

I strongly disagree with your Victorian-era beliefs.

For example, you think people who smoke marijuana or take LSD deserve to be put in jail? Why?

I hope that everyone who smokes marijuana in Japan is fined and then released. Why? Because it's against the law and aside from being annoying, I don't think it's particularly dangerous. (But DUI should apply.)

Personally, I don't want to smell it or be around anyone who uses it. Why? It stinks.

Regarding LSD, I think they should be locked up and go on forced rehab. Cold turkey. (insert "if he dies, he dies" meme here) Why? Because people on LSD do nothing good for themselves or society. Quite the opposite.

I want to know the purity of any confiscated illegal drug. I know the cocaine sold on the streets of Japan contains very low percentage if any of the real thing, so what exactly are sellers selling, users using and for what exactly are they being arrested? Why don't these figures appear in articles? I believe they are very important. If a guy gets popped for possession and use of a substance that only contains 5% illegalI ingredients, I think that is important. And important is how the police handle the crime. The article should read , guy was arrested for possession of what he believed to be cocaine but was actually fake etc.

Can you explain the circumstances of what happened S Cotsy?

I’m very interested to know.

I know the individual named and can tell you categorically he does not use heroin. All other posters in here are correct in assuming heroin is not a drug of choice in Ireland. It may have been a coke/heroin scam but the two guys arrested don't even know each other and werent travelling with one another. Wrong place, wrong time and now caught in an unfamiliar legal system as an English speaker. It amazes me how quickly people can judge that they were definitely guilty (from one article) and deserve what comes to them - easy to be an informed troll these days. If you knew the individual in question you would understand how little this story makes sense.

Smack is probably much cheaper to buy and much easier to find in Dublin than Tokyo.

Unfortunately, this is the case.

It's been that way since the notorious epidemic in the 80s that blighted the inner city.

I think these lads just made a massive mistake & thought it would be a bit of craic (no pun intended).

As I said, they clearly hadn't done their homework.

Then again, they could just be innocent

https://www.independent.ie/world-news/asia-pacific/two-irish-rugby-fans-questioned-by-police-in-japan-after-arrests-in-suspected-heroinmixing-scam-38547916.html

Guinness in Japan ???? It's not the same, and depending upon where you buy it, can make you seriously sick the next day, even after 1 pint.

Oddly enough, it's one of Ireland's most famous exports and yet, there's the saying that it doesn't travel well.

Very popular in Nigeria, although it's sweeter and stronger.

I prefer Beamish or Murphy's, myself. But I will testify to having plenty of great pints of the black stuff outside of Ireland.

Even here, believe it or not :-)

Educator - any heroin addict would not spend Y100,000 on a flight ticket to Japan. I guarantee that. The hint is in the 'Y100,000 on a flight ticket'...

Smack is probably much cheaper to buy and much easier to find in Dublin than Tokyo. Like I said, these two wanted cocaine after drinking and got caught by the heroin cocaine mix trap. Its happened many times in Tokyo.

They probably are rugby fans with some cash to spend but now they are caught in possession of heroin.

Glad they were caught. I like Japan’s stance on drugs.

Not great for the lads, who probably weren't educated enough to do a bit of research.

You don’t know me. I most likely WOULD wish it on my worst enemy - as well as dealers and users of narcotics.

Yes, but that's an authoritarian view, not one which is helpful to the users. Or those who just enjoy recreational drugs. But, at the end of the day - best to avoid until they (ever) become legal.

But (allegedly) taking dangerous drugs is not the answer. Couldn't they find any Guinness?

Because all Irish people drink Guinness?

if you knew how bad Japanese Jail is, you wouldn’t wish it on your worst enemy.

WA4TKG: It can't be worse than an American jail. I once knew a prison guard who said it can be pure hell there. It's way to easy to get illegal shivs there or other weapons into a jail, and riots are endless. Then again, I'm sure it is still better than a crowded prison in places like in Brazil or the Philippines.

@TheLongTermer, I still think you are confused about what quantities of possession gets you the death penalty in Singapore

“The country's strict Misuse of Drugs Act punishes possession of even miniscule amounts of illegal drugs and prescribes execution if you're found guilty of carrying large amounts of particular types of drugs.”

Whatever

@Bugle Boy

For example, you think people who smoke marijuana or take LSD deserve to be put in jail? Why?

Dude any amount of heroin in SG, as I recall, you win the death penalty, the same with ammunition.

Once again, play stupid games win stupid prizes.

BugleBoyZ, if you knew how bad Japanese Jail is, you wouldn’t wish it on your worst enemy.

You don’t know me. I most likely WOULD wish it on my worst enemy - as well as dealers and users of narcotics.

@TheLongTermer, really?

Please send me a link to some cases where this has happened in Singapore, Where someone has been arrested for possession of less than 1 gram of illegal drugs and it has led to a trumped up charge of trafficking and has been punished by death. I’d be interested to read about it as it all sounds like an urban myth to me.

Also, you said countries. Which other places have executed for minor amounts of possession?

In this case. I agree with the above posters. I’m sure these guys bought what they though was cocaine from one of the street sellers in Roppongi but it turned out to be heroin based.

Bad move

.

I reckon they thought it was coke. An Irish rugby fan really doesn't sound like a heroin user, whereas coke is pretty common in the West.

I'm just surprised that they managed to get hold of any - wouldn't have thought it would be easy to obtain in Japan, particularly by a tourist.

Was planning to bring in some expensive new-fangled skin cream that my daughter swears by, but one of the ingredients is listed as cannabis sativa. Not willing to run the risk of dogs sniffing my ankles at Osaka Kansai, so I left it behind.

I'm smiling at that. On our last trip to Japan, my wife insisted we didn't use a suitcase that our son had once borrowed, just in case there were "interesting smells".

Police said Masterson has denied the charge, while the other man, who is 31, was unconscious and taken to hospital.

He has denied the charge.

Well, under the Japanese constitution, and Japans own CCP (Criminal Code of practice) all persons must be considered innocent until proven guilty.

He will have to appear before a judge within 72 hours of arrest who will rubber stamp a 10 day extension whatever he says.

I doubt that the gai kensatsu (prosecutor who deals with non-Japanese) will be too interested as to whet the drug came from. He has actus rea, he has plenty of time to get a statement admitting mens rea.

Was planning to bring in some expensive new-fangled skin cream that my daughter swears by, but one of the ingredients is listed as cannabis sativa. Not willing to run the risk of dogs sniffing my ankles at Osaka Kansai, so I left it behind.

I hope the local police do more about the people on tbe streets in Roppongi when we visit once or twice per year. Every single time they're trying to sell us drugs. It scares me because it is so open and aggressive that I think it is a trap. While I think marijuana, magic mushrooms, Ayahuasca, MDMA have their medical and spiritual and therapeutic benefits (Japan might see an increase in birth rate and empathy and happiness and decrease in suicide rates if legalized or just decriminalized), what's being offered is cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin... All of those are very dangerous drugs that destroy societies. Japan is one of the best countries in the world, when you visit, obey their laws. But they should relax on a few things, especially since at-home printing / manufacturing of both legal and illegal drugs is just a few years away... They're just compounds.

Couldn't they find any Guinness?

Easier to find drugs than half-decent Guinness in Shinjers.

That’s a very ill-informed comment.

There is no country in Asia that imposes the death penalty for possession of extremely small quantities of narcotics.

ha ha thats funny. Go ahead and try that in SG; yes, no death penalty for small amount for personal use, but that small amount can be used against you as distribution and trafficking, then you get death by rope.

Be an idiot and play stupid games Then you win stupid prizes.

Guinness in Japan ???? It's not the same, and depending upon where you buy it, can make you seriously sick the next day, even after 1 pint.

I understand that Irish Rugby fans are devastated at losing to the Brave Blossoms in the Miracle of Shizuoka. But (allegedly) taking dangerous drugs is not the answer. Couldn't they find any Guinness?

BugleBoyZ, if you knew how bad Japanese Jail is, you wouldn’t wish it on your worst enemy.

@TheLongTermer,

That’s a very ill-informed comment.

There is no country in Asia that imposes the death penalty for possession of extremely small quantities of narcotics.

Trafficking large amounts (kilograms) out of the country, yes. Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand to name three.

Glad they were caught. I like Japan’s stance on drugs.

When I came through Narita a few weeks ago, there were 6 or 7 handlers with dogs sniffing around by the baggage claim. Not sure if it was doggy training day or something, but I'd never seen that before.

Made me glad I didn't have any THC edibles in my prison wallet...

LongTermer, I reckon they were drinking and fancied doing some charlie (equally stupid in Japan). Then got caught with this heroin mixed cocaine scam. Hence the friend passing out.

why would you come to Asia and do drugs? In many of the surrounding countries, its the death penality.

Tom, from experience of assisting on these cases these guys will be held in cells for a looong time ending with a court trial. If they are lucky they will get deported but we are talking about heroin here.

Used to be able to stand in Shibuya and watch the narc trade. They put things on top of soda machines. It was so obvious and within eye site of the cops...but never an issue. Remember when mushrooms were still legal here? Those were interesting times. Sold as vegetables.

These two guys will be held for 28 days, given a huge fine and sent on their way home from Narita free on Japan.

where did they get possession is interesting enough. Doubtful it came via immigration means.

Guess they didn't make it to the game.

Sounds similar to the Iranians who were selling cocaine mixed with smack in Roppongi and people died from it.

This story doesn't sound right to me. a) Japan is not a venue for tourists to come and try the heroin. b) If they were users its unusual that one of them sounds like he overdosed.

Hate to say it, but I have been waiting to see when someone here for the WC would get caught for drug use.

They are going to have a hell of a time explaining how they actually procured the drugs!