Society

Actress Erika Sawajiri arrested for alleged drug possession

Nov 17 (Japan Today) - Japanese actress Erika Sawajiri was arrested Saturday on suspicion of possessing the synthetic drug MDMA at her home in Tokyo, police said.

Sawajiri, who has appeared in a number of films, TV dramas and commercials, was found in possession of 0.09 gram of powder containing the drug at her home in Meguro Ward around 8:45 a.m. on Saturday, according to the police, who quoted her as saying, "There's no mistake that it's mine."

The police said they launched an investigation into the 33-year-old actress after receiving information she was "involved in illegal drugs."

The police searched her home in the morning and found two white capsules in a plastic bag inside a jewelry box, they said.

One of the capsules had powder containing the drug, the police said, adding they are continuing their probe into the case.

Sawajiri, who has also had success as a singer, is perhaps best known in other parts of Asia for "1 Litre of Tears," a 2005 TV drama in which she played the heroine suffering from the intractable disease spinocerebellar degeneration.

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