Former Yakuza Gang Member Arrested for Call Centre Scam and Money Laundering

[Georgealbert]

 

Picture courtesy of Matichon.

 

Police have arrested six Japanese nationals in connection with call centre scams in two separate cases, including a former Yakuza gang member.

 

Pol. Gen. Thatchai Pitanilabutr, Inspector-General of the Royal Thai Police and Director of the Anti-Human Trafficking Centre, revealed details of the arrests, which were made following cooperation between Thai and Japanese authorities.

 

Case 1: Former Yakuza Member Apprehended

 

The first case was initiated when the Japanese Embassy in Thailand alerted the Immigration Bureau about a Japanese national wanted in Japan for assault, fraud, theft, and violations of the country’s Anti-Organised Crime Act. Authorities requested his deportation.

 

The suspect, identified as Yamaguchi, was located in the Sathorn area of Bangkok, where immigration officers arrested him. Further investigations revealed that Yamaguchi was a former Yakuza gang member and the leader of a call centre gang operating in Cambodia and Vietnam, targeting Japanese citizens.

 

Thai authorities discovered that Yamaguchi had been renting a luxury property in Sathorn for over 180,000 baht per month. He had also established a company called Last Samurai Japan in 2024, allegedly dealing in high-value art sales. Investigators suspect the company was a front for money laundering.

 

Acting on a search warrant, police raided Yamaguchi’s residence, where they discovered four other Japanese nationals, all of whom had previous criminal records in Japan. Authorities also found assets worth over 30 million baht in a digital wallet, which is now under investigation.

 

Yamaguchi was taken into custody, and Thai authorities are coordinating with Japanese officials for his extradition.

 

Case 2: Call Centre Gang Financier Captured

 

The second case involved Miyashita, a Japanese national wanted for theft. Thai authorities, working closely with their Japanese counterparts, tracked him down following a crackdown on call centre operations in neighbouring countries.

 

Miyashita was captured by a militant group and handed over to authorities. He later confessed to working as a financial officer for a call centre gang since January. He has been charged under Thailand’s immigration laws, and efforts are underway to extradite him to Japan.

 

Pol. Gen. Thatchai stated that Thailand and Japan would continue working together to combat transnational organised crime, particularly call centre scams.

 

-- 2025-03-21

 

 

[watchcat]

28 minutes ago, Georgealbert said:

Police have arrested six Japanese nationals in connection with call centre scams in two separate cases, including a former Yakuza gang member.

 

Thailand attracts all kind of hoodlums wonder why.

[AustinRacing]

Well Mia<deleted>a San is in a lot of sh!t now. 

[Iron Tongue]

On 3/20/2025 at 3:16 PM, Georgealbert said:

a Japanese national wanted in Japan for assault, fraud, theft, and violations of the country’s Anti-Organised Crime Act.

 

Former?

I'd say that Yamaguchi is still Yakuza.

[newbee2022]

On 3/21/2025 at 5:16 AM, Georgealbert said:

 

Picture courtesy of Matichon.

 

Police have arrested six Japanese nationals in connection with call centre scams in two separate cases, including a former Yakuza gang member.

 

Pol. Gen. Thatchai Pitanilabutr, Inspector-General of the Royal Thai Police and Director of the Anti-Human Trafficking Centre, revealed details of the arrests, which were made following cooperation between Thai and Japanese authorities.

 

Case 1: Former Yakuza Member Apprehended

 

The first case was initiated when the Japanese Embassy in Thailand alerted the Immigration Bureau about a Japanese national wanted in Japan for assault, fraud, theft, and violations of the country’s Anti-Organised Crime Act. Authorities requested his deportation.

 

The suspect, identified as Yamaguchi, was located in the Sathorn area of Bangkok, where immigration officers arrested him. Further investigations revealed that Yamaguchi was a former Yakuza gang member and the leader of a call centre gang operating in Cambodia and Vietnam, targeting Japanese citizens.

 

Thai authorities discovered that Yamaguchi had been renting a luxury property in Sathorn for over 180,000 baht per month. He had also established a company called Last Samurai Japan in 2024, allegedly dealing in high-value art sales. Investigators suspect the company was a front for money laundering.

 

Acting on a search warrant, police raided Yamaguchi’s residence, where they discovered four other Japanese nationals, all of whom had previous criminal records in Japan. Authorities also found assets worth over 30 million baht in a digital wallet, which is now under investigation.

 

Yamaguchi was taken into custody, and Thai authorities are coordinating with Japanese officials for his extradition.

 

Case 2: Call Centre Gang Financier Captured

 

The second case involved Miya<deleted>a, a Japanese national wanted for theft. Thai authorities, working closely with their Japanese counterparts, tracked him down following a crackdown on call centre operations in neighbouring countries.

 

Miya<deleted>a was captured by a militant group and handed over to authorities. He later confessed to working as a financial officer for a call centre gang since January. He has been charged under Thailand’s immigration laws, and efforts are underway to extradite him to Japan.

 

Pol. Gen. Thatchai stated that Thailand and Japan would continue working together to combat transnational organised crime, particularly call centre scams.

 

-- 2025-03-21

 

 

He was a former mafia member?

And how you would you call him today?

Charity organizer? Social welfare contributor?😳

[Woke to Sounds]

Note to self: Divest from the scam call centre business ASAP.

[8OA8]

I'm guessing they all have their official job titles, given the "working as a financial officer for a call centre gang"

 

Q. And what's your occupation sir? 

A. I'm the CFO at a Scam Call Centre 

Q. And You sir what's your job?

A. I'm the Chief Executive Officer 

[black tabby12345]

Yakuza, it actually means "Good For Nothing/Useless As*hole" in their language.

 

Salute to the successful joint operation by Japan' foreign department, and Thai police.

 

The only thing I pity, they will be immediately deported to face lukewarm justice out there, instead of suffering much in the hellish Thai stockade...

 

 

[Old Farang]

On 3/21/2025 at 5:50 AM, watchcat said:

 

Thailand attracts all kind of hoodlums wonder why.

Must be easy to evade police and government offices