by Ann Brown
December 6, 2025
Customs officers allegedly found 780 milligrams of Ecstasy, also known as MDMA, in his tote bag.
American playwright and actor Jeremy O. Harris, best known for his record-breaking Tony-nominated play “Slave Play,” was arrested for drug smuggling on Nov. 16, 2025 at Naha Airport in Okinawa, Japan, after customs officers allegedly found 780 milligrams of Ecstasy, also known as MDMA, in his tote bag. Harris, 36, has just arrived in Okinawa for sightseeing purposes from the United Kingdom via a layover in Taiwan.
Authorities in Japan immediately detained him on suspicion of violating the country’s strict Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Act. On Dec. 4, Okinawa customs officials filed a criminal complaint with the regional prosecutor’s office, marking the formal start of charging procedures, The Guardian reports.
As of now, he remains in custody at a police station in Tomigusuku city in southern Okinawa. Police have declined to confirm whether he has admitted to the allegations, and there is no public word on whether he has retained a lawyer. Japanese authorities said they did not find any other drugs in his luggage and believe the MDMA was for his personal use. Police are still investigating, according to Okinawa Regional Customs spokesperson Tatsunori Fukuda, The Associated Press reports.
Under Japanese law, even small amounts of illicit drugs can lead to serious consequences, potentially several years in prison if convicted.
Harris’s profile had soared in theatre and television. The 2019 production “Slave Play” was once the most Tony-nominated play in Broadway history. It received 10 nominations. Beyond the stage, he has expanded into television and film, appearing in the popular Netflix series “Emily in Paris,” Variety reports. He is also recognized for writing the 2020 film “Zola,” this year’s films “The True Beauty of Being Bitten by a Tick” and “Erupcja,” and for his role as a producer on the second season of HBO’s “Euphoria.” Harris most recently premiered his play “Spirit of the People” at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in Massachusetts in July.
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AloJapan.com