Tony-nominated playwright Jeremy O. Harris arrested in Japan for alleged ecstasy smuggling

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

Officers at Naha Airport on Japan's southern island of Okinawa arrested Harris on Nov. 16 for an alleged violation of customs law for having 0.78 grams (0.0275 ounces ) of the crystalized drug, also known as MDMA, in a container in 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.

Japanese 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.

There was no immediate comment from Harris’ representatives.

Japanese criminal procedures allow investigators to keep a suspect in custody for up to 23 days before indictment, and pretrial detention can be prolonged if the accused exercises their right of silence or denies the charges, a practice widely criticized as “hostage justice.”

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 coproducer 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.