High court upholds acquittal of deported Briton over marijuana

Tuesday 09th December, 01:48 PM JST

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Latest 15 of 22 Total Comments Show All

Disillusioned at 03:25 PM JST - 9th December

I can't believe someone would actually try to smuggle such a large amount of hooter in a suitcase. This guy deserves everything he gets. He is an idiot!
borscht at 04:03 PM JST - 9th December

He deserves everything he gets? Like, not being deported because the court found him innocent? Or being deported because the court found him innocent?
tkoind2 at 04:49 PM JST - 9th December

If someone took your things out and replaced them with something else while your bag was going through processing, would you realize it? Doubtful.

This sounds too stupid to be intentional. Sounds like someone took a long shot chance to get drugs in and it failed. This guy was just a mule and had no clue he was.
taj at 05:22 PM JST - 9th December

Timeon, you ask "how can you possible claim you were not aware of 9.7 kg of stuff in your luggage?"

Here's one idea: your back is almost 10 kilos overweight at arrival, but records show you weren't charged anything by the airline. (Airport staff and in Japan, Customs Officials in training, have been known to slip things into checked bags.)
taj at 05:23 PM JST - 9th December

Getting off with the old "I didn't know it was there" excuse is rare. Recently a Swiss woman managed it. I think there must have been some convincing evidence in both this and the other cases to cast doubt on the guilt of the accused.
Proffessor at 06:46 PM JST - 9th December

My guess is because this guy was physically handicapped, The burden of taking care of him in the prison would be on them. As a result, deportation.
BBLeo at 06:53 PM JST - 9th December

This story if like a fracas for JT No one understands what is going on. Prosecution was unable to put together evidence for court. However, I can tell you that majority of ‘South Africans’ are dealing with drugs. I'm regular reader with 'IOL,' and day after day you can read about 'drugs bust.' You think that Japan is so bad with such crimes; no one can overtake South Africa with such issues. Click on this link and follow it every day: http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?setid=1&clickid=15 This South African concerned should never be allowed to put his foot in Japanese soil. Every South African should be checked for police record before give 'entry visa.'
gogogo at 11:51 PM JST - 9th December

How messed up is that?
dontpanic at 12:31 AM JST - 10th December

BBLeo-The guy was British and he was aquitted. Plus because theres a drug story in the news each day doesnt make a whole nation drug dealers. By your logic the majority of people in the world must be dealing drugs.
Good_Jorb at 12:42 AM JST - 10th December

My guess is that the Japanese do not want a documentary made about this guy and the subsequent free X movement, like that Australian girl Schapelle Corby in Bali. It is probable easier to take the drugs away, charge and acquit the guy and then deny him a Visa and deport him.
zaichik at 07:10 AM JST - 10th December

My guess is that the Japanese do not want a documentary made about this guy and the subsequent free X movement, like that Australian girl Schapelle Corby in Bali.

Didn't bother them with that Nick thingummy bloke.... If the Japanese authorities were worried about bad international publicity, they wouldn't have e.g. arrested those Greenpeace anti-whaling activists the other day.
plasticmonkey at 08:19 AM JST - 10th December

Anybody carrying 9.7kg of marijuana into Japan has to have serious connections here. You don't just push it on the streets of Shibuya. This guy probably had some yaks on his side and the authorities decided to let him go.
rjd_jr at 08:44 AM JST - 10th December

Again this flies about the oft repeated and woefully incorrect belief that the Jp system is "out to get foreigners." This isn't an isolated case of foreigners getting away with crime ("the I didn't know it was in my suitcase schtick).
soldave at 08:47 AM JST - 10th December

rjd - so you are saying he is guilty? Could you please provide the source for that as it says here he was acquitted. Maybe you have evidence that everyone else is not privy to.
soldave at 11:05 AM JST - 10th December

Read the comments again after some were deleted by mods and I still am not completely sure what point you were trying to make rjd.