Yakuza gang member arrested in Thailand

Police and immigration officers in Pattaya have announced the arrest of a Japanese man who is believed to be a member of the Yakuza crime gang.

Tatsuka Tanaka, 36, was arrested at Suvarnabhumi Airport on June 22 on fraud charges as he tried to board a flight to Cambodia.

Acting on an Interpol Blue notice, police say Tanaka heads a gang that defrauded 83 people in Japan out of JPY80 million (24 million baht).

According to Thairath, Tanaka and his gang claimed to be working for Yahoo and told victims they were liable for additional charges from various internet sites. The victims were then told to pay off the false charges via Amazon gift cards, ensuring that they sent the codes from the cards to the gang members.

Police said Tanaka had been a frequent visitor to Thailand and most recently had been staying in Pattaya.

Police said Tanaka will now be deported back to Japan.

The other members of Tanaka’s gang have already been arrested by police in Japan.

Thai Visa / Thai Rath

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