Upon his arrest on suspicion of violating the narcotics and stimulants control laws, Modebel denied the allegations
A Nigerian, Chris Oh Modebel has denied allegations of drug trafficking levelled against him.
Officers of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police arrested the Nigerian on allegations of dealing in illegal drugs in the Roppongi entertainment district, reports Japan’s Sankei Shimbun.
On June 2, Chris Oh Modebel allegedly possessed 30.5 grammes of cocaine and 0.6 grammes of kakuseizai, or stimulant drugs, found in an electrical meter box for a building in the district.
Upon his arrest on suspicion of violating the narcotics and stimulants control laws, Modebel denied the allegations, according to Tokyo Reporter.
“I know nothing about the matter,” the suspect said.
The police, however, said Modebel, who lives in Kashiwa City, Chiba Prefecture, is the leader of a drug-dealing ring composed of Nigerian nationals.
During the investigation, police seized a total of 289 grammes of cocaine, 58.2 grammes of stimulant drugs and an unspecified amount of MDMA, or Ecstasy, from the meter box. The contraband has a combined street value of 9.6 million yen (about US $90,000)
For this case, police used a new chemical for the on-the-spot identification of cocaine.
In 2012 and the next year, police used chemicals that mistakenly identified substances as cocaine. This led to persons being arrested by mistake.
Sentences differ based on technicalities, but the maximum sentence for drug offences in Japan is life imprisonment.