Bangkok police bust alleged Japanese call centre gang after ‘victim’ escapes

MONDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2022

A call centre gang comprising five Japanese men were arrested at a residence in Bangkok's Bang Khen district on Sunday and charged with imprisoning a fellow Japanese national.

Kannayao police and Japanese Embassy officials raided the address and detained Kawabata Kotaro, Hirota Junya, Naramura Kenji, Tomonari Satoshi and Suzuki Takafumi.

Officials also seized a laptop, printer, tablet, four smartphones and lists of alleged Japanese victims as evidence.

Bangkok police bust alleged Japanese call centre gang after ‘victim’ escapes

Kannayao police chief Colonel Naren Kruengsanook said the arrests came after a Japanese man managed to escape from the gang and alert his embassy.

"The victim – identified as Yuki Ogura – escaped from the call centre gang's residence after they deceived him into luring other Japanese nationals to Thailand," Naren said.

Bangkok police bust alleged Japanese call centre gang after ‘victim’ escapes

The alleged victim said he travelled to Thailand on December 8 after the call centre gang had offered him a job in Bangkok.

However, the gang kept him at its residence and banned him from using any communication devices, he said.

"The gang then threatened me unless I started working to lure other Japanese [to Thailand]," Ogura said.

He added that he contacted the Japanese Embassy immediately after escaping from the gang on Saturday.

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