A Japanese Yakuza member accused of leading a major call centre scam operation was arrested at Suvarnabhumi Airport on 8 June 2026 as he allegedly attempted to leave Thailand for a third country. Get today's headlines by email The suspect, Mr Takafumi Sugawara, 31, a Japanese national, was detained by officers from the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) and the Immigration Bureau. He was classified as a prohibited person under Thailand’s Immigration Act B.E. 2522, Section 12(7), which covers individuals believed to pose a threat to society, public safety, national security, or those wanted by foreign authorities. Japanese investigators identified Sugawara as a senior member of a Yakuza organisation and the leader of a call centre scam network operating from Cambodia. According to the investigation, the gang used a three-stage telephone fraud scheme targeting victims in Japan. The operation began with automated international calls falsely claiming to be from telecommunications company NTT, warning victims that their telephone service would be disconnected. Victims who pressed a designated number were connected to operators who collected personal information before transferring calls to other gang members posing as police officers and public prosecutors. Victims were allegedly told they were linked to Yakuza criminal activity and were instructed to transfer money to prove their innocence. Investigators said the network was also involved in recruiting people in Japan through fake job advertisements before forcing them onto flights to Phnom Penh, where they were allegedly detained and compelled to work as call centre operators. Authorities said the network was linked to at least 40 fraud cases during 2024 and obtained more than 1 billion yen. The Anti-Online Scam Centre (ACSC) and the CIB’s transnational crime unit received information from the Japanese Embassy indicating that Sugawara had been using Thailand as a hiding place while evading prosecution in Japan. Investigators later discovered he had booked a flight to another country and deployed undercover officers at Suvarnabhumi Airport. Thaitabloid reported that police located Sugawara near a check-in counter shortly before it closed and moved in to arrest him. Authorities revoked his permission to remain in Thailand and transferred him to an immigration detention facility pending deportation. Officials said Sugawara will be returned to Japan to face legal proceedings under Japanese law. Picture courtesy of Thaitabloid Join the discussion? Already a member? Adapted by ASEAN Now Thaitabloid 9 June 2026
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