Japan is enforcing an increasingly strict judicial response to a significant rise in drug trafficking and consumption within the archipelago. Japanese customs officials are arresting a growing number of individuals acting as mules who attempt to transport narcotics into the country, facing severe sanctions from the courts.
A recent case highlights this rigorous approach involving a 21-year-old French national from the Paris region, whose first name has been changed to Nathan for privacy. On October 29, he was sentenced to ten years in prison at the Fuchu facility in Tokyo. The court determined that his youth and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may have influenced his judgment, but emphasized that he acted knowingly with unknown accomplices for profit.
The conviction stems from an attempt in June 2025 to introduce 8,811 grams of methamphetamine into Japan. At a market value of 40,512 yen per gram, the seized drugs were worth approximately 357 million yen, or roughly 2 million euros. In addition to his prison term, Nathan is required to work during his incarceration to pay a fine of 5 million yen, equivalent to 27,500 euros.
His sentence includes strict conditions within the high-walled prison environment, where inmates are separated from their families and limited to only two visits per month. The verdict was delivered after seven hearings held in room 818 of the Tokyo tribunal, underscoring the judicial system's determination to combat the escalating drug trade.
Sources: Le Monde International.