Japanese authorities have arrested a Canadian national in connection with a massive drug smuggling operation involving hundreds of kilograms of methamphetamine concealed inside industrial machinery.
Tokyo Metropolitan Police confirmed the arrest of Vincent Yat Sum Yeung, a 38-year-old company executive and Yokohama resident, on Wednesday. Investigators suspect Yeung was working with unidentified accomplices and continue to probe the case, though they have not disclosed further details.
According to Japan’s NHK public television, authorities discovered approximately 320 kilograms (705 pounds) of methamphetamines, packed into 321 one-kilogram bags, hidden inside a large milling machine that was shipped from Los Angeles in December 2023.
The illicit shipment, valued at an estimated 21.2 billion yen (US$137 million), was temporarily stored in a warehouse in Kuki, a city north of Tokyo, before being seized by police.
Authorities are continuing their investigation into the smuggling network behind one of Japan’s largest drug busts in recent years.