Brazilian Cocaine Smuggler Swallows 22.2 Million Yen Stash

Oct 16, 2025 | News On Japan

OSAKA - A Brazilian man has been arrested and indicted for smuggling cocaine into Japan by swallowing the drugs and concealing them inside his body.

CT scans revealed numerous foreign objects inside the man’s body, all of which were identified as cocaine wrapped in small packets. Prosecutors said that 38-year-old Diego Mendonça Lopes, a Brazilian national, allegedly concealed 888 grams of cocaine — with a street value of around 22.2 million yen — inside his body and brought it into Japan on a flight in August.

Customs officers at Kansai Airport decided to conduct a CT scan after noticing a recent rise in drug smuggling cases from Brazil. The scan led to the discovery of the concealed narcotics.

While police have not disclosed whether Lopes has admitted to the charges, a 19-year-old Brazilian woman who was on the same flight was also arrested using the same method. Authorities are investigating the possibility of a wider drug trafficking operation.

Source: YOMIURI

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