Japan Customs Seized 3,211 Kg of Illicit Drugs in 2025, Led by Record Cannabis Haul

Overview

• Total drug seizures rose 15% year over year to about 3,211 kilograms, surpassing 3 tonnes for the first time since 2019 and marking the second-highest total on record.
• Cannabis seizures climbed to roughly 1,531 kilograms, about 3.5 times the prior year, driven by a Tokyo Customs bust of about 1 tonne in June.
• Methamphetamine seizures fell to about 840 kilograms overall, yet air-passenger smuggling surged to around 664 kilograms across 73 cases, accounting for about 80% of meth weight.
• Cocaine cases increased to 85 as seized weight declined to roughly 238 kilograms, while MDMA cases fell to 64 as weight rose to about 202 kilograms.
• Designated synthetic-drug cases and firearms detections increased, gold bullion seizures dropped sharply, and detected shipment origins by case count were led by the United States (43%), Thailand (27%), and Vietnam (8%).