Jeremy O. Harris Arrested in Japan for Alleged Ecstasy Smuggling
Prominent American playwright and actor, Jeremy O. Harris, known for his Tony-nominated “Slave Play” and his role in the Netflix series “Emily in Paris,” was arrested in Japan on suspicion of smuggling the psychedelic drug ecstasy, officials said Saturday.
Officers at Naha Airport on Japan’s southern island of Okinawa arrested Harris on Nov. 16 for an alleged violation of customs law for having 0.78 grams, or 0.0275 ounces, of the crystalized drug, also known as MDMA, in a container in a tote bag he was carrying, according to Okinawa Regional Customs spokesperson Tatsunori Fukuda.
Harris, 36, had left London’s Heathrow Airport two days earlier and transited in Taiwan’s Taoyuan International Airport before arriving in Naha for sightseeing, Fukuda said. Okinawa is a popular resort destination with mild weather throughout the year.
Fukuda said Harris was arrested on the spot and taken into custody by the Tomishiro police, which filed a criminal complaint to the Naha District Prosecutors’ Office on Thursday for further investigation and possible indictment. According to officials, Japanese authorities did not find any other drugs in his luggage and believe the MDMA was for his personal use.
Investigation and Potential Consequences
Those convicted of drug smuggling in Japan can face a multiyear prison term. Japanese criminal procedures allow investigators to keep a suspect in custody for up to 23 days before indictment, and pretrial detention can be prolonged if the accused exercises their right of silence or denies the charges, a practice widely criticized as “hostage justice.”
Harris has not publicly commented on his arrest, and there was no immediate comment from his representatives. The U.S. Embassy in Japan has been reached out to for additional comment.
Career and Background
Harris burst onto the arts scene with “Slave Play,” written while he was still a graduate student at the Yale School of Drama. It premiered off-Broadway in 2018, inciting controversy and even a petition to shut down the production with its provocative mix of race, class and sexual taboos. The play moved to Broadway the following year, earning a Tony nomination for best play, but did not win an award.
In addition to small acting roles, he’s cameoed as himself on a rebooted “Gossip Girl” and served as a co-producer on several episodes of HBO’s hit series “Euphoria.” Harris told CBS New York in 2021, “There haven’t been enough chances for us to reflect who we are to the world and to ourselves and to ponder what that reflection means, and so this is what ‘Slave Play’ gets to do for people.”
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