Ⅰ. TRENDS IN ILLICIT DRUGS SMUGGLING
１. Seizures of Smuggled Illicit Drugs
The total number of seizures of smuggled illicit drugs*1 during the one-year period from January toDecember of 2021 was 833 (up by 12% from the previous year), and the total amount of seized illicit
drugs*2,3 was approx. 1,138 kg (down by 41% (id.)). However, the seized amount exceeded 1 ton forthe sixth consecutive year, recording the ninth largest amount. The situation has remained serious.
＊1 "Illicit drugs" refers to methamphetamine, cannabis, opium, narcotics (heroin, cocaine, MDMA, etc.), psychotropic substancesand designated substances.
＊2 "The total amount of seized illicit drugs" excludes tablet formed drugs.
＊3 The seized amount excludes those whose weights, etc. are not defined. The same applies hereinafter.

(Note) "Others" includes opium, narcotics (heroin, cocaine, MDMA, etc.), psychotropic substances and designatedsubstances.
Figures for 2021 are provisional.

(1) Methamphetamine< Seizures of smuggled methamphetamine >The number of seizures of smuggled methamphetamine during the one-year period fromJanuary to December of 2021 was 95 cases (up by 32% from the previous year), and the amountof seized methamphetamine also increased to approx. 912 kg (up by 12% (id.)).
Seized methamphetamine is equivalent to approximately 30.40 million doses, worth
approximately 54.7 billion yen in end price.
By mode of transport, the number of seizures and seized amount of methamphetamine from aircargo, sea cargo, and international mail were almost the same as or larger than those in the previousyear. The number of seizures from air cargo showed a 2.5-fold increase.
In the meantime, smuggling cases by air passengers decreased both in terms of the number ofseizures and seized amount. There was no seizure involving a ship crew.
Transition in the number of seizures and seized amount(Seizures; cases)

Air passengers(Seized amount: kg)(Seizures; cases)

Air cargo(Seized amount: kg)(Seizures; cases)

Sea cargo(Seized amount: kg)(Seizures; cases)

International mail(Seized amount: kg)(Seizures; cases)

Ship crews(Seized amount: kg)(Note)"Air passengers" includes crew members, and "shipcrews" includes passengers and cases of trafficking bysea. "Air cargo" includes unaccompanied baggage sent
by air, and "sea cargo" includes unaccompanied
baggage sent by sea.

Looking at seizures by source, Asia accounted for the largest proportion, at 31.6% (30 cases),followed by Europe, at 25.3% (24 cases), and North America, at 20.0% (19 cases).
In terms of the seized amount, Asia accounted for 58.2% (approx. 531 kg) and Latin America
21.0% (approx. 192 kg). These two areas accounted for approx. 80% of the overall total.
Number of seizures of smuggledmethamphetamine by source

MiddleEast
Africa 6.3%
8.4%
Asia
Malaysia
Latin
South Africa
31.6%
11.6%
6.3%
AmericaThailand
7.4%
8.4% Mexico
8.4%
North
America
20.0%

Canada
5.3&US
14.7%

Amount of seized methamphetamine bysource
AfricaEurope3.1%
2.9%
MiddleEast
5.9% North
America
8.9%
US
8.2%

Vietnam
4.2%

UK
9.5%
Netherlands
5.3%

Latin
America
21.0%

Mexico21.0%

Hong Kong
47.1%

Malaysia
7.2%

Asia
58.2%

Europe25.3%< Major seizures of smuggled methamphetamine >[Case 1]
Customs seized approx. 297 kg ofmethamphetamine concealed in sea cargo (a laserbeam machine) from Hong Kong.
(Apr. 2021; Yokohama Customs)[Case 2]Customs seized a considerable amount ofmethamphetamine concealed in sea cargo(charcoal) from Türkiye.
(Nov. 2021; Tokyo Customs)[Case 3]Customs seized approx. 11 kg of methamphetamine
concealed in air cargo (clay and rubber rollers)from Mexico, etc.
(Apr. and May 2021; Tokyo Customs)[Case 4]
Customs seized approx. 8.7 kg ofmethamphetamine and approx. 430 g of cannabis
concealed in air cargo and international mail (awater purifier and tea bags, etc.) from Canada,etc.
(Jun. 2021; Osaka Customs)

(2) Cannabis< Seizures of smuggled cannabis >The number of seizures of smuggled cannabis during the one-year period from January toDecember of 2021 was 199 cases (down by 2% from the previous year), while the seized amountincreased by 22% from the previous year to approx. 153 kg.
The seized amount decreased for herbal cannabis to approx. 22 kg (down by 56% (id.)),but
increased for cannabis resin, etc. (including cannabis products, such as cannabis liquid andcannabis sweets, in addition to cannabis resin) to approx. 132 kg (up by 72% (id.)).
By source, North America accounted for approx. 70% of the overall total (67.3% from theUnited States and 3.5% from Canada).
Transition in the number of seizures ofsmuggled cannabis and seized amount(Seizures; cases)

Number of seizures by source (2021)(Seized amount: kg)< Major seizures of smuggled cannabis >[Case 5]
Customs seized approx. 7.9 kg of cannabis liquid
concealed in air cargo (oil cans) from the UnitedStates.
(May 2021; Nagoya Customs, etc.)[Case 6]
Customs seized approx. 3 g of cannabis liquid
concealed in international mail from the UnitedStates.
(Sep. 2021; Moji Customs)

(3) Narcotics< Seizures of smuggled narcotics >The number of seizures of smuggled narcotics (heroin, cocaine, MDMA, etc.) during the oneyear period from January to December of 2021 increased to 230 cases (up by 38% from theprevious year). The seized amount increased to approx. 130,000 tablets (up by 45% (id.)) but
decreased to approx. 51 kg by weight (down by 94% (id.)).
The number of seizures of smuggled MDMA, etc. increased to 81 cases (up by 9% (id.)), with
the increases observed in the seized amount of MDMA tablets (127,000 tablets [up by 42% (id.)])and MDMA in other forms (approx. 27 kg [an approx. 16.2-fold increase (id.)]).
The number of seizures of smuggled cocaine increased to 34 cases (up by 26% (id.)), but theseized amount decreased* to approx. 14 kg (down by 98% (id.)).
* In 2020, there was a massive seizure of approx. 722 kg of smuggled cocaine, the largest-ever amount.

< Major seizures of smuggled narcotics >[Case 7]
Customs seized approx. 15,000 tablets of MDMA
concealed in three pieces of international mailfrom Germany.
(Apr. 2021; Yokohama Customs)[Case 8]Customs seized approx. 20 sheets of LSD (10,000pills) concealed in international mail (a painting)from the Netherlands.
(Aug. 2021; Osaka Customs)(4) Designated Substances< Seizures of smuggled designated substances >The number of seizures of smuggled designated substances during the one-year period from January
to December of 2021 increased to 302 cases (up by 1% from the previous year), but the seized amountdecreased* to approx. 17 kg (down by 90% (id.)).
* In 2020, there was a massive seizure of approx. 156 kg of smuggled Sivagus, which contains dinitrogen monoxide, a designated substance.

<Major seizures of smuggled designated substances >[Case 9]Customs seizedapprox. 315 g (52bottles) of isobutyl
nitrite concealed ininternational mailfrom Vietnam.
(Apr. 2021; Kobe
Customs, etc.)[Case 10]
Customs seized 300
pieces of ADBBUTINACA
concealed ininternational mailfrom Vietnam.
(Jun. 2021; Nagasaki
Customs, etc.)

2. Influences of Illicit Drug Abuse
Methamphetamine and narcotics significantly harm the mental and physical health of people whoabuse them, make them unable to live like human beings, or even cause deaths.
Hallucinations or delusions due to the illicit drug abuse may lead to heinous crimes, such as murder
or arson, or traffic accidents in some cases. The abuse of illicit drugs may thus cause irredeemabledamage not only to abusers themselves but also to the people around them and to society as a wholein the end.
(1) Mental and physical influences
The abuse of methamphetamine and other illicit drugs fatally destroys abusers' mental andphysical health. Major organs are subject to serious adverse influences listed as follows, which may
even cause death in the worst case.
•Brain: Brain atrophy and brain hemorrhage (memory deterioration and senility symptoms)•Eyes: Optic nerve disorder and fundus hemorrhage (decreased vision and loss of sight)•Bronchi: Mucosal abnormality (bronchitis)•Lungs: Mucosal abnormality (lung cancer)•

Stomach: Gastric mucosal abnormality and bleeding (gastric pain, nausea, and emesis)•Bone marrow: Red blood cell dysplasia (anemia)

The abuse of illicit drugs hinders normal brain development and worsens abusers' mental balance.
Abusers may temporarily feel to be clear-headed or have nervous excitement, but will beoverwhelmed by a sense of exhaustion or a feeling of fatigue, and will eventually have hallucinations
and delusions.
(2) Influences on surrounding people
The abuse of illicit drugs not only exerts influences on individual abusers but also causes damage
to the people around them and society as a whole. One of the representative adverse influences isviolence. Long-term abuse of illicit drugs causes disturbance of perception, decreased appetite,
emotional disorder, hallucinations and strong paranoia, due to which abusers often use violence on
their family members or develop abnormal behavior, such as carrying a weapon all the time. Family
members and people around them are swayed by such behavior and are forced to live with fear andsuffering.
The high prices of illicit drugs often make abusers heavily debt-ridden, leading to the destructionof families or failure of lives, or triggering minors to take money from the home. The abuse of illicit
drugs thus also causes serious economic problems.

Furthermore, the abuse of illicit drugs triggers various offenses. There seems no end to the heinous
crimes, such as murder, arson, captivity, and injury, caused by hallucinations, delusions or
flashbacks,* or theft just to get money for purchasing drugs.
Additionally, it is also a serious social problem that money paid by illicit drug abusers becomes
the source of funds for international narcotics crime organizations and organized crime groups inJapan. In this manner, the influences of abuse of illicit drugs threaten people's lives on a broad
scale from various aspects.
* Once a person develops a hallucination, delusion or other symptoms of mental illness due to theabuse of illicit drugs, even if the person superficially seems to have recovered through treatment,
his/her base prone to mental disorders remains and something may easily trigger a mental
disorder, such as a hallucination or delusion, after the person stopped the drug abuse and resumed
his/her normal life. This is called a flashback, which may be caused by a trivial stimulus such as
drinking alcohol or mental stress.
Refer to Japan Customs' Website: https://www.customs.go.jp/mizugiwa/smuggler/abuse.htm