YOKOHAMA —

Police have arrested an Afghan man wanted on suspicion of attempting to ship acetic anhydride, a chemical compound used in the synthesis of heroin, which was found in freight containers bound for Afghanistan in February, investigative sources said Sunday. Kanagawa prefectural police made the arrest on July 31, about five months after about 2 tons of acetic anhydride was found at Yokohama port, and are investigating whether there is any link between the unidentified man and large-scale organized smuggling, the sources said.

The man is in his 30s and sells used cars in Tochigi Prefecture, according to the sources. He left Japan before the substance was confiscated in late February and was arrested for alleged violation of the customs law when he reentered the country at Narita airport, they said. Police put out a warrant for the man on a charge of trying to ship acetic anhydride to Afghanistan without permission after bringing the substance to the port in more than 100 small tanks in late February.

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