BANGKOK — Thai police have arrested Tetsuya Yamaguchi, a 46-year-old Japanese man suspected of leading an international scam network, a senior officer announced Thursday. Yamaguchi was arrested at his condominium in central Bangkok on Friday following a request from Japanese authorities, who seek him on charges of fraud and organized crime.
Yamaguchi is believed to have links to call center operations in Cambodia and Vietnam that are involved in running large-scale fraud schemes. Senior police inspector Thatchai Pitaneelaboot explained that Yamaguchi’s activities are connected to a growing network of online and phone scams that have targeted victims worldwide.
As part of the crackdown, Thai authorities revoked Yamaguchi’s visa, and he is expected to be extradited to Japan in early April to face charges.
During the arrest, police also detained four other Japanese nationals, all with criminal backgrounds in Japan. One of them was found to be operating a company used as a front for money laundering activities.
In recent years, Southeast Asia, particularly Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos, has become a hub for multi-billion-dollar online and phone scams. Many of the workers in these scam operations, some of whom were deceived or coerced into their roles, participate in romance, casino, and investment fraud schemes.
In response to international pressure, including from China, Myanmar has begun cracking down on scam compounds, leading to the release of thousands of workers. Since late February, around 4,500 people, including more than 3,000 Chinese nationals, have been repatriated through Thailand.
