Ukraine man pleads not guilty to charges of smuggling 113 kg of drugs

Smirnov came to Japan in March 2023 as a refugee.

Using refugee, which Narcos season is that?

he had planned to repair a metal polishing machine and export it to Ukraine via Poland

So metal polishing machine being brought from Mexico to Japan to be sent to Ukraine via Poland.

Is Mexico the only place in the world to get metal polishing machine?

From Mexico!! but understandable if from Ukraine. It seems no way out.

Just revoke his refugee status and deport him back to Ukraine.

Zelensky needs as many soldier as he can get his hands on.

Surely Interpol need to investigate this before the defendant is indicted. Japanese law at it's best, yet again.

Alan Harrison

Today 09:08 am JST

Surely Interpol need to investigate this before the defendant is indicted. Japanese law at it's best, yet again.

Why is it needed for interpol to investigate this before Japan indicts him?

for me, if found guilty, book, time, ticket flight, home and then army come to mind. Japan gives him a place and he “allegedly” does this. Omg. It’s people who do this that give genuine (law abiding) refugees a bad name. And is used as a reason to NOT give anyone refugee status.

There is so much of this story missing. It’s horrible reporting. So was the package tampered with and out of his possession beyond air travel. It seems like he used a freight forwarder me as such why would he be arrested? If someone planted them. That said that is a heck of a lot of drugs. Did he actually take possession of them? I think someone would know if something was 100kg heavier than it should be. Just think if you imported a car from someplace and it was packed with drugs and then they blamed you. Until more of the story is known it’s hard to actually comment don’t you think.

Not all "refugees" are good people. Japan would be wise to keep them to an absolute minimum.

Mr KiplingToday  11:13 am JST

Not all "refugees" are good people. Japan would be wise to keep them to an absolute minimum.

If it’s really important to get out, wife and kids should go first. Not military age men leaving family behind, then it’s a ”refugee”

A Ukrainian man from Mexico to Japan.

> he had planned to repair a metal polishing machine and export it to Ukraine via Poland, claiming he had no knowledge of the drugs.

Nope. Nothing suspicious about any of that at all. Carry on.

How heavy is this broken metal polishing machine, what is the actual value of this machine and how much is it to transport it by AIR CARGO from Mexico to Japan up to Toyama?

113 kg heavier and unnoticed? Air cargo is very expensive. I do not believe even one word what he says.

After serving his sentence he should be immediately deported back to Ukraine. Refugee status cancelled.

113 kilograms of illegal stimulant drugs. Mexico & refugee involved? Wow.

Just a normal day at America’s borders with Mexico.  

America has the same right to stop the illegal drugs flowing into the country same as Japan.

Japan does such an excellent job too. 

Matter of fact. Allot of the border steps and immigration steps Japan uses. America should implement the same policies. 

This guy if found guilty. He is going to a Japanese prison for a long time. This maybe a life sentence or worse.  

It is a good thing these kilos will never hit streets in Japan. Many of it would have been sold by criminal organizations enriching them, possibly exported to other nations.

Great Job Japan!  Nice bust!

Need more info to comment about this.

What I will say is that I doubt most people's idea of "refugee" includes someone who can import an expensive sounding machine, well, one big enough to be packaged with 100kg+ plus of drugs, by air freight that arrives just five months later. It probably stupid to assume that refugees must be penniless, but this action suggests far more means than people will associate with refugees.

Well done for the catch, Japan..

Deport ASAP !!..

Careful Japan, no more refugees..

I really like to know how this 56 year old was able to obtain his refugee status when all males aged between 18 to 60 from the start of the war were to stay In Ukrain. This sinks of corruption in the Ukrainian Government. At a guest I say this bloke has been a criminal involved in the drug trade in Europe long before the war. They Should check out how many containers he has imported prior to this shipment and how many he sent onto Europe from Japan.

The defense counsel argued that he had planned to repair a metal polishing machine 

Ah, yes, Mexico! The famous source of metal polishing machines. Who has not heard of the surplus of Mexican metal polishing machines? Makes total sense to me.

Would it not have made better sense to get this shipped directly to Poland then?

I see no business logic is A)flying to Mexico to B) buy a broken machine, to C) fly it back to Japan (especially with a weak yen as imports are expensive) D)repair it (could he repair it in Mexico?)

E) Pay for the shipping to Poland from Japan.

F) then forward on to Ukraine.

now! I’m no engineer, no rocket scientist but I think I smell poop, a joby. And that Puting it politely. While we give the Japan police,immigration a hard time KUDOS to them.

I really like to know how this 56 year old was able to obtain his refugee status when all males aged between 18 to 60 from the start of the war were to stay In Ukraine.

There was a mass exodus at the start of the war and a steady stream every month since. Go to Poland, Germany, Romania and other places in Europe and you will find thousands of able bodied fighting age men who have voted with their feet to avoid the war. Not that I blame them.

Abe234...

Would it not have made better sense to get this shipped directly to Poland then?

Not if your plan was to smuggle 113kg of drugs into Japan!

Valerii Smirnov, 56

Not too old to be on a charge of desertion.

My experience in criminal law ?

Drug importers come in all sorts and flavours

The "refugee " thing has no traction , just a chance for people to blow off prejudices.

Age ? Irrelevant

Sex ? Irrelevant

Nationality ? Irrelevant

and so on and so forth

I see no business logic is A)flying to Mexico to B) buy a broken machine, to C) fly it back to Japan (especially with a weak yen as imports are expensive) D)repair it (could he repair it in Mexico?)

E) Pay for the shipping to Poland from Japan.

F) then forward on to Ukraine.

Well, apparently repairing used Mexican metal polishing machines is an enourmously profitable business that can only be done in Japan. I wonder why not more people found this business opportunity :-)

Mr Kipling. Days before Ukraine knew that Putin was going to attack they keep telling their citizen that it was all a bluff. Biden told them Putin was going to attack only days before. So this gave them time before to prepare for this mass exodus and had personal ready at key points. From Day one of the war they prevented all male age 18-60 from leaving the country. So how did this 56 male citizen get out and get refugee status. He knew someone in the government to verify his status. If he was legitimate refugee I don't think he be earning a dollar importing exporting drugs, He be working as a metal polisher in Japan some where.

Dude is just as corrupt and conniving as his president.

Very resourceful and enterprising individual.

Obviously not an independent "player "

Cops could have substituted the drugs and see where that leads.

Nobody not connected could sell an ounce of meth, let alone 100 plus keys.

Dumb Police maybe don't want to know.

2023??????

Why so long?

Why is "justice" in Japan so slooooooow?

GuruMick

Today 07:45 pm JST

Obviously not an independent "player "

> Cops could have substituted the drugs and see where that leads.

> Nobody not connected could sell an ounce of meth, let alone 100 plus keys.

> Dumb Police maybe don't want to know.

The police let him transport the drugs from airport to toyama

Mr KiplingToday  02:53 pm JST

Abe234...

Would it not have made better sense to get this shipped directly to Poland then?

Not if your plan was to smuggle 113kg of drugs into Japan!

Exactly! That's why his whole story smells of NOT AN EXCEDINGLY GOOD CAKE sir. lol

Abe234

Today 09:12 pm JST

Mr KiplingToday 02:53 pm JST

> Abe234...

> Would it not have made better sense to get this shipped directly to Poland then?

> Not if your plan was to smuggle 113kg of drugs into Japan!

> Exactly! That's why his whole story smells of NOT AN EXCEDINGLY GOOD CAKE sir. lol

He said he planned to repair the polishing machine first before shipping to poland

Ian...arrested too soon...a substituted powder posed no threat to anyone....check phone contacts etc...wait...do Police surveillance...I dont know how things work here....

BUT if I was Danno from Hawaii 5 Zero....

Its funny he didn't know until he was caught! If he succeeds its his drugs and it was a great idea as he thinks but if he gets caught oh know I had no idea!! Its not mine!!! Right No GUILTY as sin!!!

Guru Mick: Containers import from Japan rarely get checked entering Europe or else where. Japan is not a place know for producing drugs. So drug importers in Europe send their consignments on to a safe country via (Japan) then send off to it intended destination from Japan. If that container hit Europe straight from Mexico good chance it would be Xrayed. From Japan rarely. So That is what you are trying state I assume. Why they did not allow the ship to go on to Europe or where ever is They the Japanese Police wanted the kudos and the publicity. It not hard to work that out.

John san...most containers NOT checked regardless of point of departure.

Customs relies on Intel. mostly.

Thats why I thought of a Police follow through, but then I thought of the hundreds of tonnes of drugs of all kinds getting through....Maybe 100keys wasnt enough to garner support of INTERPOL in Europe.?

Sorry state of affairs.