Eight Vietnamese Nationals Arrested Over Smuggling 23kg of Cannabis Liquid, Largest Seizure on Record in Shizuoka Prefecture
This article organizes publicly available information into a single account. Where it describes an arrest or an ongoing investigation, that reflects only one stage of criminal procedure and does not mean guilt has been established (the presumption of innocence applies). We will update this article as new information becomes available, including the outcome of prosecution, non-prosecution, or trial. This article is not intended to unfairly disparage any individual, group, nationality, ethnicity, or belief, and aims to provide objective, fact-based information.
Shizuoka Prefectural Police's Drug and Firearms Countermeasures Division, together with Fukuroi and Hamamatsu Higashi police stations, Nagoya Customs, and the Tokai-Hokuriku Regional Bureau of Health and Welfare's Narcotics Control Department, announced the arrest and referral for prosecution of eight Vietnamese nationals, including a 20-year-old demolition worker residing in Iwata City, on suspicion of violating the Narcotics Control Act (joint importation and possession for profit). According to Shizuoka Shimbun Digital and other outlets, the eight are accused of smuggling cannabis liquid — cannabis extract in liquid form — from Vietnam into Japan on 14 occasions between September 2025 and January 2026.
The cannabis liquid was reportedly concealed in containers such as alcohol bottles and seasoning jars, packed into boxes alongside everyday goods, and shipped by air. Police seized roughly 23kg combined from seven of the fourteen shipments, the largest amount ever seized in Shizuoka Prefecture; the remaining seven shipments are believed to have contained a similar quantity, suggesting the group may have handled an estimated 46kg over four months, with a street value of at least 10,000 yen per gram — potentially exceeding 1 billion yen once diluted. The eight are said to have formed a group after meeting at a Vietnamese restaurant in Nagoya, and police are investigating the case as organized criminal activity aimed at sales within Japan.
Current status: Whether the eight have admitted to the allegations, details of the sales destinations and distribution routes, and whether additional accomplices exist remain unclear as of this writing. This article will be updated as further details emerge.
Editorial Perspective
No decision on indictment has been made at this stage, so this article reflects information from the investigative phase. An arrest is only one step in criminal procedure and does not establish guilt (the presumption of innocence). According to National Police Agency and Ministry of Justice statistics, the number of Penal Code cases involving foreign nationals visiting Japan has risen for two consecutive years since 2023, but remains below its mid-2000s peak (related article). A single case does not necessarily reflect the broader statistical trend; further developments are worth watching.