Playwright Jeremy O. Harris arrested in Japan on drug smuggling charges | Jeremy O Harris

American actor and playwright Jeremy O. Harris, known for the Tony-nominated play Slave Play, was arrested last month at an airport in Japan on suspicion of trying to smuggle illegal drugs into the country, local authorities said late Thursday.

Harris, 36, was stopped on November 16 at Naha Airport on Okinawa island after a customs officer discovered 0.78 grams of crystal containing the synthetic drug MDMA in his luggage, an Okinawa Regional Customs spokesman said.

He was immediately arrested on suspicion of violating Japan’s Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Control Law. Local customs officials filed a criminal charge with the regional prosecutor’s office on Thursday to begin formal charging proceedings against Harris.

An official at the police station in the city of Tomigosuku in southern Okinawa confirmed that Harris remains in custody. The official declined to comment on whether Harris had admitted to these charges.

Representatives for Harris did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and it was not clear whether he maintained legal representation in Japan.

A customs spokesman said that Harris arrived in Okinawa for tourist purposes, coming from Britain via Taiwan, where he stopped by plane. Okinawa is a popular resort destination located about 1,500 kilometers southwest of Tokyo, and is famous for its beaches and US military bases.

Japan enforces strict drug laws with severe penalties for possession and smuggling crimes. The country has some of the toughest drug regulations among developed nations, with even small amounts of illicit substances leading to criminal prosecution. However, the penalties are not as harsh as in other Asian countries such as China and Singapore, where drug offenders can face the death penalty.

Foreigners arrested in recent years in Japan on suspicion of drug crimes include former Australian rugby league player Blake Ferguson in December 2021. In 1980, former Beatle Paul McCartney was arrested after arriving in Tokyo with a bag of marijuana and was banned from entering Japan for years.

Harris is also known for his acting role in Emily in Paris and producing the HBO drama series Euphoria.