TOKYO, JAPAN – Prominent American playwright and actor Jeremy O. Harris, best known for his Tony-nominated play “Slave Play,” was arrested in Japan on suspicion of smuggling the psychedelic drug ecstasy, officials said Saturday.
Harris, 36, was detained at Naha Airport on Okinawa on Nov. 16 after authorities discovered 0.78 grams (0.0275 ounces) of crystalized MDMA in a container inside a tote bag he was carrying, according to Okinawa Regional Customs spokesperson Tatsunori Fukuda. Harris had flown from London’s Heathrow Airport two days earlier, with a transit stop at Taiwan’s Taoyuan International Airport, before arriving in Okinawa for sightseeing.
The Tomishiro police immediately took Harris into custody, and a criminal complaint was filed with the Naha District Prosecutors’ Office on Thursday for further investigation and potential indictment. No other drugs were found in his luggage, and authorities believe the MDMA was intended for personal use. Japanese officials are continuing their investigation.
Under Japanese law, suspects can be held for up to 23 days before indictment, and pretrial detention can be extended if the accused denies the charges or exercises their right of silence, a practice often criticized as “hostage justice.” Convictions for drug smuggling in Japan can result in multiyear prison sentences.
Harris gained widespread attention with “Slave Play,” which he wrote while a graduate student at the Yale School of Drama. The play premiered off-Broadway in 2018, stirring controversy for its exploration of race, class, and sexual taboos, and later moved to Broadway, earning a Tony nomination for best play. He has also appeared in small acting roles, made a cameo as himself in the rebooted “Gossip Girl,” and served as a coproducer on several episodes of HBO’s “Euphoria.”