Japan prosecuted two Vietnamese women for bringing more than 30 kg of marijuana disguised in suitcases of dried shrimp and fish from Thailand to Kansai airport.
Kansai officials today announced that two Vietnamese women, Ta Thi Linh, 26 years old, from Ibaraki province, and Hoang Thuy Tien, 25 years old, from Saitama province, were indicted for drug trafficking.
The two suspects, both office workers, are said to have hidden a total of 31 kg of marijuana in 4 suitcases entering Japan from Thailand at Kansai airport, Osaka region, on October 12.
The amount of marijuana seized during the discovery at Kansai airport in October. Photo: ABC News
According to the Kansai Airport Customs Branch, the suitcases were stuffed with food such as dried shrimp and dried fish. When examining each suitcase, customs officers discovered a large amount of marijuana tightly compressed and hidden inside.
This is considered the largest marijuana seizure since Kansai airport opened in 1994. According to market prices, this amount of marijuana is estimated to be worth more than 155 million yen (993,000 USD).
Japanese authorities suspected these two people of colluding with another unidentified person, having collected evidence showing that they had received instructions through a security application, which could constitute an organized crime.