American playwright Jeremy O. Harris arrested in Okinawa on suspicion of drug smuggling

TOKYO (AP) — A prominent American playwright and actor, Jeremy O. Harris, known for his Tony-nominated “Slave Play,” has been arrested in Japan on suspicion of smuggling the psychedelic drug known as ecstasy, officials said Saturday.

Harris was arrested at Naha Airport on Japan’s southern island of Okinawa on Nov. 16 for an alleged violation of customs law when officials found 0.78 grams of the crystalized drug, also known as MDMA, in a container of a tote bag he was carrying, according to Okinawa Regional Customs spokesperson Tatsunori Fukuda.

Harris, 36, had left London’s Heathrow Airport two days earlier and transited in Taiwan’s Taoyuan International Airport before arriving in Naha for sightseeing, Fukuda said. Okinawa is a popular resort destination with mild weather throughout the year.

Fukuda said Harris was arrested on the spot and taken into custody by the Tomishiro police, which filed a criminal complaint to the Naha District Prosecutors’ Office Thursday for further investigation and possible indictment.

The authorities did not find any other drugs in his luggage and believe the MDMA was for his personal use. They are still investigating, Fukuda said, while adding that whether Harris made any comment on the case could not be released.

Police declined to confirm the details.

Those convicted of drug smuggling in Japan can face a multiyear prison term.

Harris burst onto the arts scene with “Slave Play,” written while he was still a graduate student at the Yale School of Drama. It premiered off-Broadway in 2018, inciting controversy and even a petition to shut down the production with its provocative mix of race, class and sexual taboos. It moved to Broadway the following year, earning a Tony nomination for best play but did not win an award.

In addition to small acting roles, he’s cameoed as himself on a rebooted “Gossip Girl” and served as a co-producer on several episodes of HBO’s hit series “Euphoria.”

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Associated Press writer Mallika Sen in New York contributed to this report.

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