American playwright and actor Jeremy O. Harris has been released from custody in Japan following his arrest last month over allegations that he brought illegal drugs into the country, according to the Timishiro Police Station.
Multiple media outlets, including The New York Times and Reuters, reported that Harris, 36, was released on Dec. 8—approximately three weeks after he was detained on suspicion of attempting to smuggle prohibited substances into Japan.
Japanese authorities have not confirmed whether formal charges were filed. However, a representative for Harris told media outlets that he was released without charge and plans to remain in Japan to continue research for an upcoming creative project.
According to reports from The New York Times, Reuters, and The Guardian, customs officials allege that officers discovered 780 milligrams of ecstasy, also known as MDMA, inside Harris’ luggage after he arrived at Naha Airport in Okinawa on Nov. 16.
A spokesperson for Japanese customs told Reuters and The Guardian that Harris had traveled from the United Kingdom to Okinawa for sightseeing purposes. Under Japan’s strict drug laws, individuals convicted of importing illegal narcotics can face prison sentences of up to seven years.
Harris is widely recognized for writing and producing the acclaimed Broadway play Slave Play, which earned 10 Tony Award nominations in 2020. He has also appeared on screen as Grégory Elliot Duprée in Netflix’s Emily in Paris and made guest appearances in the 2021 revival of Gossip Girl.
His film credits include writing the 2020 movie Zola, as well as this year’s films The True Beauty of Being Bitten by a Tick and Erupcja. Harris also served as a producer on the second season of HBO’s hit series Euphoria.
Earlier this year, Harris premiered a new stage production, Spirit of the People, at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in Massachusetts, marking Amber Heard’s return to professional stage acting. He has also been developing the Off-Broadway play Prince F—–, a speculative drama imagining a future in which the heir to the British throne comes out as gay.
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