Japanese politician arrested in China for transporting drugs

A 70-year-old Japanese politician has been formally arrested in southern Chinese city of Guangzhou for transporting drugs, local procuratorate said Monday.

Sakuragi Takuma, a member of the Inazawa municipal assembly in Aichi Prefecture, and two other foreigners attempted to transport about 3 kg of methamphetamine from China to Japan during his stay in China.

He was taken into custody on Oct. 31 when security personnel at the Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport found over 3 kg of drugs in his suitcase.

The other two suspects were seized on Nov. 18 and Nov. 19, respectively.

The case was transferred by local police to the Guangzhou Baiyun District People's Procuratorate on Nov. 29, according to a statement issued Monday by the Guangzhou Municipal People's Procuratorate.

The Baiyun district's procuratorate approved the arrest of Sakuragi Takuma on Friday for transporting drugs, the statement said.

No further details were provided.