Written by Andra Tudor
The renowned car company, Volkswagen, has taken a hit in Japan recently with a top executive being arrested for alleged cocaine use. The German national known as Thomas Siebert admitted to using cocaine on a regular basis after another drug was found to be addressed to him in the post. Japan has some of the strictest drug laws in the world, with the importation of Sudafed and Nyquil being illegal in the country, therefore the man is facing a lot of trouble. Drug offences in Japan are taken very seriously and can result in up to 10 years jail time, or even extradition.
The man was busted when Customs in Yokohama discovered a suspicious product in incoming mail from an overseas destination. Upon inspecting the substance, it was discovered to be amyl nitrate. The street name for the drug is Rush or Poppers, a drug that is sniffed and often used for sexual encounters within the LGBQT community.
Police raided the German executives home in Tokyo, and the man was forced to partake in a urine test which came out positive for drugs. Although the man does not admit to using any other drugs other than cocaine, he is being charged for the possession of the drug addressed to him and another male acquaintance residing at his address, meaning he is going to need to invest in a good drug defense attorney to help him fight his case to avoid a lengthy jail sentence or extradition back to his home country.
Despite not being aware of its top executives drug use, Volkswagen has put minimal distance between itself and Mr Siebert, stating that despite him being arrested on a personal matter they will take very little action on him until the facts have been verified. Having lived in Japan for more than 17 years, Siebert should be more than aware of the zero drug policy stance held by Japan. Hopefully it is not the end of his lengthy career working with Volkswagen in Japan.
This is not the first case of a car executive being arrested for drug offences in Japan in recent months. American Toyota executive, Julie Hamp was recently arrested for the importation of a narcotic painkiller known as oxycodone. After being appointed as a public relations officer for the company only three months prior, this was a huge hit for the company, despite the company stating she was an integral part of their team. Hamp has since been deported back to America after spending three months in jail. Toyota has replaced her position with a veteran in the company known as Shigeru Hayakawa.
It is not an uncommon practice to arrest foreigners who bring in medicinal substances used in their home country, although some drugs may receive special approval for their use. Often people who bring in medicinal drugs can spend up to 23 days in jail.
Siebert can fight his claim, however the result may not be what he desires. Hopefully there are no other car executives arrested for drug use in Japan in the coming months, as two in one month seems like quite a lot for a business that should be focussing on safe driving practices.
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