Video: '1980 Paul McCartney Busted in Japan'

(Thursday, January 17, 1980) — Narcotics agents questioned Paul McCartney today about the half-pound of marijuana he allegedly brought into the country, then officers led him past a crowd of shouting Japanese fans to his second night in jail.

The 37-year-old former Beatle was arrested Jan. 16, 1980, shortly after he arrived at the new Tokyo International Airport at Narita for a concert tour that now has been canceled.

Officials said customs officers found 219 grams, or 7.7 ounces, of marijuana in plastic bags in his suitcase during a routine inspection. He is said to have told them that the drug was for his personal use.

More than 200 fans shouted “Paul! Paul!” as McCartney came out of the narcotics control investigator’s office to be returned to the Tokyo jail.

The rock star responded with a wave and “Hello.” Some of his young female fans burst into tears and called out: “Why did you betray us? Why did you disappoint us? We’ve been looking forward to your concerts.”

McCartney and members of his rock group Wings had been scheduled to give a total of 11 concerts in Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya from Jan. 21 to Feb. 2,1980.

The Tokyo newspaper sponsoring the concerts, Yomiuri, canceled the tour. The paper said 100,000 tickets had been sold. McCartney’s Japanese agent estimated that $1.8 million would be returned to ticket holders.

Officials of the narcotics office told Japanese reporters McCartney was cooperative in response to their questions. They gave no details, except that he said he obtained the marijuana from friends in the United Stales, that he had used marijuana for 11 years and had been fined in Scotland and Sweden in 1971 for possessing marijuana.

Officials said they asked McCartney whether he slept well Wednesday night. He was quoted by officials as saying he did. but was concerned about his American wife, Linda, and four children, who are staying at a hotel. Officials said they expected to question his wife later.

Philip Symes, McCartney’s press representative in Japan, distributed a statement late today that said he was “still being detained” and “the narcotics bureau will present further evidence” to the prosecutor’s office to seek “further detention.”

Video: '80's Scandals - Paul McCartney arrested for drugs' (Jan. 17, 1980, at 1:16-1:27/1:43-2:07)

Symes said “McCartney is being cooperative” and although the “quantity of marijuana seized is not considerably large, proceedings of the case are unusually complicated because of the involvement of many sectors of government bureaucracy.”

The Clear Light Society, an organization seeking to legalize marijuana smoking in Japan, called for the immediate release of McCartney.

The British Embassy appeared concerned about McCartney’s fate. The embassy inquired of the Health and Welfare Ministry, which supervises drug controls, how it handling the case, informed sources said.

A ministry spokesman said the embassy was told the case could not be decided by ministry officials alone.

Officials said that if McCartney is formally charged and found guilty, he could be sentenced to seven years in prison and fined up to $2,000 for violating narcotics control and customs laws.

According to officials of the Justice Ministry and the Tokyo prosecutor’s office, the narcotics bureau — which is under the Health and Welfare Ministry — can decide within 48 hours after McCartney’s arrest whether send the case to the prosecutor’s office for possible charges or release him.

If the case is referred to the prosecutor’s office, it has 72 hours to decide whether to file formal charges, release him or detain him for another 10 days for further investigation.

If the prosecutor’s office decides to press charges, a magistrate could approve bail. Once he was free on bail he would be free to leave Japan as there no provision in Japanese law to detain him in the country in that status, officials said.

If he Is formally charged he will face trial in Japan that could take months or even years. However, Japanese news reports said it was likely he would be expelled without facing formal charges.

Although Japan enforces its drug laws strictly, in recent years the courts have shown leniency in sentencing, with most first-time offenders being given fines and probation if they acknowledge their guilt.