Peruvian Fighter Arrested on Suspicion of Smuggling Cocaine Hidden in ‘Shohei Ohtani Bats’

The Yomiuri Shimbun

11:30 JST, June 20, 2025

A 40-year-old Peruvian man has been arrested for smuggling cocaine hidden in baseball bats with an illustration of baseball player Shohei Ohtani on them, the Metropolitan Police Department said.

The suspect, Kasai Villanueva Eduardo Yoshihiro, has competed in martial arts events in Japan.

According to the MPD, Kasai and his associates are suspected of smuggling about 1.9 kilograms of cocaine with a value of about ¥47 million from the United States to Narita Airport on July 18 last year by hiding it inside 11 wooden baseball bats. Tokyo Customs discovered the bats, which had the illustration and were packed together with seven gloves, during an inspection.

The MPD arrested the suspect on Wednesday.