Police in northeaster Thailand have arrested two alleged Japaneses Yakuza gang members wanted for killing and dismembering a compatriot in Bang Bua Thong district of Nonthaburi in April. They were arrested in the northeastern province of Nong Khai.
Immigration officers reportedly learned that the two Yakuza gangsters had entered Thailand from sources in Laos, they found at a restaurant them on Chalermphrakiart Road in Muang district of Nong Khai.
The immigration police subsequently alerted police at the Bang Bua Thong station in Nonthaburi, who then travelled to Nong Khai to take the suspects into custody.
Pol Col Prut Chamroonsart, the station chief told Thai media Mr. Takuya Kato, 50, and Mr. Hiroto Suzuki, 28, both suspected Japanese Yakuza gang members are accused of murdering and dismembering fellow Yakuza gang member Mr. Ryosuke Kabashima, 47 in April.
Pol Col Prut said that after more than six hours of interrogation on Saturday, Mr. Kato confessed to having murdered his compatriot.
He said Mr. Suzuki adamantly denied all charges and said he just accompanied Mr. Kato in the car to dispose of the body parts. He denied having any prior knowledge about Mr, Kato killing of Mr. Ryosuke.
Under police interrogation they discovered that Mr. Kato had lent 8 million baht to the victim, but when Kato then asked for the return of his money, the victim refused and sent a photo of a gun trying to intimidate him.
He said lured the victim to rented a warehouse in Bang Bua Thong, were he killed Mr. Ryosuke and then dismembered his body.
Later in the company of Mr. Suzuki and a Thai driver he disposed of Mr. Ryosuke remains in plastic bags off Ban Kluai-Sai Noi Road in tambon Pimolrat in Bang Bua Thong in Nonthaburi province.
Kato, Suzuki and a Thai driver were wanted on arrest warrants issued by the Nonthaburi Provincial Court on charges of premeditated murder, concealing, removing or destroying a corpse or body parts to cover up a death or cause of death.
The Thai driver, Mr Kritsakorn Jaipithak, 30, was arrested in late April.
Police believe the two Japanese suspects and the victim were members of a large Yakuza syndicate in Japan called Yamaguchi-gumi.
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Geoff Thomas is an award winning journalist known for his sharp insights and no-nonsense reporting style. Over the years he has worked for Reuters and the Canadian Press covering everything from political scandals to human interest stories. He brings a clear and direct approach to his work.
