Osaka prefectural police arrested Daisuke Yamamoto, a 37-year-old man of no known occupation from Ikuno Ward in Osaka, and Masaru Sakaguchi, a 60-year-old beautician from the same ward, on suspicion of violating the Narcotics Special Provisions Law and related offences.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18] Yamamoto is from the Katsuyamakita district of Ikuno Ward, and Sakaguchi from Ikuno-nishi in the same ward.[4] Both men were referred to prosecutors on suspicion of violating the Special Narcotics Law and other charges.[19] The arrests, over the alleged purchase and sale of goods presented as cannabis, were announced by 11 November 2026.[1][2][3][9][10][11][20] The two men were arrested on 10 November 2026.[16][17] Police did not disclose whether the two men admitted the allegations.[5][14][17][21][18] According to the police, Yamamoto had previously competed in BreakingDown, a mixed-rules combat sports event popular primarily among young people.[1][2][3][4][22][9][10][11][23][24][17][21][20] Yamamoto is known as “Daisuke”.[25]
Investigators alleged that in December 2025, Yamamoto received an item as cannabis from Sakaguchi for 10,000 yen in the city of Osaka.[1][2][3][4][5][26][10][11][23][13][14][27][24][15][16][17][21][28] Police said the alleged deal was made through social media.[18] The alleged handover occurred on 25 December 2025 at just after noon in Ikuno Ward.[5] The alleged purchase took place near Yamamoto’s home.[21] Sakaguchi is suspected of transferring the item in that transaction and engaging in related illicit dealings.[1][2][3][9][10][11][27][16][21] Sakaguchi was also arrested on suspicion of possessing cannabis.[16]
In February 2026, police officers stopped and questioned Sakaguchi during a routine patrol and discovered plant material inside the car he was occupying.[1][2][3][4][5][26][10][11][23][16][17] The cannabis found in Sakaguchi’s car in February weighed a little over 5 grams.[5][14] Forensic testing later confirmed that the plant fragments were cannabis.[1][2][3][26][9][10][11][27][16] Analysis of Sakaguchi’s confiscated smartphone and related records led officers to suspect that he had traded cannabis with Yamamoto and several other individuals.[1][2][3][5][9][10][11][23][27][16] Sakaguchi was reported to use code words including “leaf” and “buds” and to have dealt with multiple customers.[5] Messages from Yamamoto on the phone included requests reading “roll it for me” and “5 sticks.”[5][9][14][16][21][20] Police also searched premises linked to Yamamoto and seized smoking implements, glass pipes and syringes.[3][4][9][13][14][27][15][16][17][21]
