TOYAMA, Japan (Kyodo) -- A Ukrainian man pleaded not guilty on Monday to charges of smuggling 113 kilograms of illegal stimulant drugs concealed in air cargo from Mexico to Japan in 2023.

The drugs, valued at around 7 billion yen ($44.8 million), represent the largest stimulants seizure ever in a single operation by the Toyama prefectural police.

Valerii Smirnov, 56, said during the first hearing at the Toyama District Court in central Japan that he was unaware of the drugs hidden in the air cargo from Mexico.

In their opening statements, prosecutors said Smirnov came to Japan in March 2023 as a refugee. They alleged he hid the stimulant drugs in air cargo disguised as a metal polishing machine and arranged to transport them by car.

The defense counsel argued that he had planned to repair a metal polishing machine and export it to Ukraine via Poland, claiming he had no knowledge of the drugs.

According to the indictment and other sources, Smirnov imported stimulant drugs from Mexico to Narita airport near Tokyo in August 2023 and stored the drugs in Toyama in September in the same year.