Former swimmer turned AV actress arrested in cocaine probe
SingTao · 1 SOURCESabout 1 hour ago2 MIN
Summary
Police in Sayama, Saitama Prefecture, arrested 32-year-old Yamaguchi-gumi executive Shota Sugawara and 27-year-old AV actress Serina Shin, whose real name is Seika Abe, in a drug case uncovered on August 24. Investigators said 0.7 grams of cocaine were found under bed sheets and in a bedside cabinet while the pair were discovered in bed together, and Sugawara has admitted drug use while Abe denied taking drugs. Abe had previously been a nationally ranked swimmer who finished second in Japan and was once viewed as a potential Olympic medal winner before an injury forced her to retire in university. Police are now tracing how the two met, as well as the source of the drugs and related financial flows
Key Points
- The special investigation unit at Sayama Police Station in Saitama broke the case on August 24 and arrested Sugawara, described as a 32-year-old Yamaguchi-gumi executive
- Abe, 27, worked under the stage name Serina Shin and was identified by police reports as being found in bed with Sugawara during the search
- Officers allegedly recovered 0.7 grams of cocaine from beneath the bed sheets and from a bedside cabinet at the scene
- Sugawara was described as a gang figure tied to a criminal group involved in fraud and robbery, with multiple previous arrests reported
- Abe debuted in AV in July 2021 marketed as a former elite swimmer, later changed agencies and aliases, and reportedly moved into compensated dating in Tokyo’s Minato ward amid financial hardship
Why It Matters
For Hong Kong readers, the case draws attention to how celebrity-style branding, organised crime links and drug investigations can intersect across Japan’s adult entertainment and nightlife economy. It also underlines the risks around cross-border vice narratives that spread quickly online, especially when allegations about drugs, sex work and gang ties are still under active police investigation