Japanese authorities said Tuesday that Jeremy O. Harris, a Tony-nominated playwright and actor, had been released after spending three weeks in custody on suspicion of attempting to smuggle illegal drugs into the country.
Harris, 36, was arrested and taken into custody Nov. 16 when he flew into Okinawa, the southern Japanese island, from Taiwan. Japanese customs officials had said that upon his arrival, officers found 780 milligrams (¾ of a gram) of Ecstasy, also known as MDMA, in his carry-on tote bag.
He was released Monday, said a spokesperson of the Tomishiro Police Station in Okinawa’s Tomigusuku City. The spokesperson declined to say whether Harris had been charged.
A representative for Harris said that he was released without charges, and that he would stay in Japan, writing and researching for an upcoming project.
Last week, the case was referred to prosecutors in Naha, the capital of Okinawa, for violating the Customs Act. At the time, prosecutors did not indicate whether charges had been filed.
Harris faced up to seven years in prison if he was found guilty under Japan’s strict drug laws.
Harris’ 2018 drama, “Slave Play,” received 12 nominations at the 2020 Tony Awards. He also co-wrote the A24 film “Zola” (2021) and appeared in the HBO Max series “Gossip Girl” (2021), Netflix’s “Emily in Paris” (2022) and the independent film “The Sweet East” (2023). He was the creative director of this year’s Williamstown Theatre Festival.
This article originally ran in The New York Times.
AloJapan.com