A Myanmar national suspect was arrested for smuggling over 3kg of sausages and mangoes, which are prohibited from being brought into Myanmar. He is denying some of the charges.
The suspect arrested was Nay Naing Oo (42), an unemployed Myanmar national from Kita Ward, Tokyo.
According to the Metropolitan Police Department, in June last year, 3.7 kg of meat products such as sausages, fruits and vegetables such as mangoes, which are prohibited or restricted from being imported from Myanmar, were imported into Haneda Airport under the Domestic Animal Infectious Disease Prevention Act. He is suspected of violating the Plant Protection Law.
Sausages and other items were placed in 34 bags divided into multiple boxes and brought in as hand luggage.
They have repeatedly brought in the animals and received warnings from the Animal Quarantine Service and Plant Protection Station a total of 20 times in the past year up until last month.
In response to the investigation, the suspect denied some of the charges, saying, ``I was only transporting the bag because I was asked to do so, and I didn't know that there was meat or plants inside.''
Bringing in foods and fruits from overseas is regulated by country and region due to the risk of infectious diseases and pest damage, and the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department cautions against bringing in prohibited foods.