The authorities in Japan said on Thursday that Jeremy O. Harris, the Tony-nominated playwright and actor, was arrested last month on suspicion of attempting to smuggle in illegal drugs.
Mr. Harris, 36, has been in custody in Japan since Nov. 16, when he flew into Okinawa, the southern Japanese island, and customs officers at Naha Airport found Ecstasy in his bag, according to the police in Tomigusuku, who oversee the airport.
Customs officials in Japan said that when Mr. Harris arrived in Okinawa from Taiwan, officers found 780 milligrams of Ecstasy, also known as MDMA, in his carry-on tote bag. They referred him to prosecutors in Naha, the capital of Okinawa, on Thursday, for violating the Customs Act. The prosecutors did not say whether charges had been filed.
Japan has strict drug regulations. If found guilty, Mr. Harris could face up to seven years in prison. The police in Tomigusuku said they could not say whether Mr. Harris had admitted to the allegations.
Representatives for Mr. Harris in the United States did not immediately respond to requests for comment late Thursday.
Mr. Harris’s 2018 drama, “Slave Play,” received 12 nominations at the 2020 Tony Awards. He also co-wrote the A24 film “Zola” (2021) and appeared in the HBO Max series “Gossip Girl” (2021), Netflix’s “Emily in Paris” (2022) and the independent film “The Sweet East” (2023).
John Yoon is a Times reporter based in Seoul who covers breaking and trending news.
The post Jeremy O. Harris Is Arrested in Japan on Suspicion of Smuggling Drugs appeared first on New York Times.
