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Agence France-Presse

A Japanese university professor could face 10 years in jail after allegedly getting his students to produce ecstasy, officials said Wednesday, in an echo of television hit series Breaking Bad.
Authorities suspect the 61-year-old pharmacology professor from Matsuyama University in western Japan got his pupils to make MDMA – commonly known as ecstasy – in 2013 and another so-called designer drug 5F-QUPIC last year.
The professor told investigators he was aiming to further the “education” of his pharmaceutical sciences students, said an official from the local health ministry.
The ecstasy allegedly produced has not been found and has “probably been discarded”, added this official, who asked to remain anonymous.
Drug raid in Hong Kong nabs HK$11 million worth of cocaine and Ice
If charged and convicted, he could face 10 years behind bars.
Japanese law states that a researcher needs a licence issued by regional authorities to manufacture narcotics for academic purposes.
The synthetic drug MDMA acts as a stimulant and hallucinogen and is the main ingredient in party drug ecstasy, giving users a heightened sense of energy, empathy and pleasure.
It has recently been used in research trials exploring its effectiveness in treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
5F-QUPIC, also known as 5F-PB-22, is a cannabis-like drug banned in Japan in 2014 after it was suspected of causing traffic accidents.
Vietnam 600kg meth bust the latest in a string of big hauls
It is unclear if there were any other similarities between the case of the Matsuyama University professor and that of Walter White, the fictitious hero of “Breaking Bad”.
White, played by Bryan Cranston, was a former chemistry teacher diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer who starts manufacturing crystal methamphetamine to pay for his treatment and provide for his family – sometimes with the help of a former pupil.


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Drugs

Japan professor accused of having students make ecstasy to further their ‘education’ ... but police can’t find the drugs

Ecstasy pills. Photo: Alamy Stock Photo

Vietnam 600kg meth bust the latest in a string of big hauls as lawless ‘Golden Triangle’ and home-grown labs churn out narcotics

Vietnamese police arrange seized methamphetamine at a police station in Ho Chi Minh City after a huge drug bust in March. The latest bust was more than half a tonne. Photo AFP

News

Asia

East Asia

The MDMA allegedly produced has not been found and has ‘probably been discarded’
The 61-year-old university teachers faces up to 10 years jail if found guilty


The ecstasy allegedly produced has not been found and has ‘probably been discarded’


Japan

Crime

Japan professor accused of having students make ecstasy to further their ‘education’ ... but police can’t find the drugs

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;}The MDMA allegedly produced has not been found and has ‘probably been discarded’ The 61-year-old university teachers faces up to 10 years jail if found guilty

The MDMA allegedly produced has not been found and has ‘probably been discarded’

The 61-year-old university teachers faces up to 10 years jail if found guilty