Former police drug investigator arrested for drug possession, claims he didn’t know it was drugs

It was a good thing the suspect had decided to become a cop, because he doesn’t seem to be a very good criminal.

Irony broke out in Fukuoka Prefecture on July 29 when the Fukuoka Prefectural Police arrested one of their own on suspicion of possession of marijuana. The suspect, 42-year-old Akiyoshi Sato, was in charge of drug investigations for a year in 2002. We can only assume that at some point during the investigations he discovered that marijuana was kind of fun.

The charges stemmed from a small murse (man purse), referred to as a “second bag” in Japanese, which was found unattended on a JR Kagoshima train. It was turned in to Kurume station staff who found a “cannabis looking substance” inside. So they contacted the Kurume police department who held onto the murse.

▼ Kurume train station, where the staff are apparently
better at identifying illegal narcotics than the police

That same evening Sato called the police in search of the murse and — after hearing that they had it and were eagerly awaiting him to claim it — went over to pick it up. What happened afterward was not reported, but it must have been awkward.

Sato currently stands accused of possession of about 4.4 grams (1/6 ounce) of marijuana which is valued at 26,000 yen (US$235) meaning that either it was some luxury stuff or Japan really is a sellers’ market when it comes to weed.

However, Sato is partially denying the charges saying that he “did not know it was marijuana.” This excuse leads to two possibilities: either Sato is being dishonest, or he was the worst narcotics investigator ever.

It should also be noted that prior to his arrest, Sato was working in the evidence department, handling various pieces of evidence which would likely include the occasional bag of confiscated drugs.

Why the former drug expert was not asked what he thought the small plastic bag of green leaves was that he was carrying around is a shame because it certainly would have been a priceless answer. But on the other hand it does explain why he so brazenly walked into a police station to accept his contraband.

Whatever Officer Sato was up to on that fateful day will be up to the courts to decide, but we’re just glad it wasn’t our own Mr. Sato. As we all well know, the only green herb he’s been caught inhaling is a gigantic bowl of coriander.

Source: Livedoor News
Top image: Wikipedia/Anu Sood

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