Yamaguchi Prefectural Police sent papers to prosecutors Monday on a Maritime Self-Defense Force officer suspected of covering up a subordinate's illegal possession of drugs last fall at an MSDF base in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, police sources said.
The 50-year-old lieutenant junior grade is suspected of flushing a 1-gram package of stimulants down a toilet on Oct. 24 after receiving it from Petty Officer 3rd Class Masako Koike, 28, the sources said.
According to the sources, the older officer was technically in illegal possession of the amphetamine on the day as, instead of reporting it to police, he kept the drug in his locker at an MSDF signal corps depot in Yokosuka.
He admitted the allegation, with sources quoting him as saying, "I wanted to protect the squad and dodge punishment."