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Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Japanese Hospitality

posted by on May 27 at 9:35 AM

An unwitting passenger arriving at Japan’s Narita airport has received 142g [about 5 ounces] of cannabis after a customs test went awry, officials say.

A customs officer hid a package of the banned substance in a side pocket of a randomly chosen suitcase in order to test airport security. Sniffer dogs failed to detect the cannabis and the officer could not remember which bag he had put it in. Anyone finding the package has been asked to contact customs officials.

The customs officer conducted the test on a passenger’s bag against regulations. Normally a training suitcase is used.

“I knew that using passengers’ bags is prohibited, but I did it because I wanted to improve the sniffer dog’s ability,” the officer was quoted as saying.

Damn, all I ever get are those snooping notes from TSA.

RSS icon Comments

1

Look in the customs agent's car.

Posted by Fnarf | May 27, 2008 10:01 AM
2

that would make a visit to japan that much more entertaining, but Fnarf is most likely right about this one...

Posted by high and bi | May 27, 2008 10:10 AM
3

All I can think about is what if this passenger just doesn't happen to check his side pocket? Will thier home country's customs be willing to accept "the japanese customs must have put that in there" as an excuse?

Posted by John | May 27, 2008 10:34 AM
4

I thought that was oregeno ... no wonder the spaghetti sauce was yummy!

Posted by Will in Seattle | May 27, 2008 11:10 AM
5

I agree with #3. What's even more frightening is that the passenger may have been headed to a country where drug possession is given a death sentence.

Posted by Johnny | May 27, 2008 11:11 AM
6

Gee, I wonder why the customs officer has such a spacey memory?

Posted by Tim Appelo | May 27, 2008 11:11 AM
7

Possessing dope in Japan is definitely uncool. The officials do not consider it amusing in the least. When I lived there a friend of mine came over from the States with a bunch of hash. We smoked a bit and I have never been so paranoid in all my life. Of course it didn't help that we were watching the movie Brazil with that scene where the cops bust in. Still. I couldn't wait for him to get on the road and take his contraband with him.

Posted by rocky isles | May 27, 2008 11:27 AM
8

why does this never happen to me? this remeinds me of when Dominic Holden (I think) found a sack of weed on the city street in broad daylight...

Posted by Mike in MO | May 27, 2008 11:49 AM
9

This is scary shit. If this happened to me, I would assume that someone would be coming back for their drug mule. I want to know what happens to the customs officer. Searched, fired or forgiven?

Posted by squidoo | May 27, 2008 12:13 PM
10

@3 & @5: Worse still, if he's a U.S. citizen with a vaguely Arabic-sounding name, the Bushies will do an extraordinary rendition to the dark side of the moon and he'll never be seen again.

Posted by rob | May 27, 2008 1:49 PM

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