THAILAND (TR) – Police here have arrested a 29-year-old Japanese man wanted in Japan for allegedly deceiving a high school boy met online into working at a fraud group’s base in Myanmar.
On February 13, local authorities apprehended Tomoe Fujinuma at an airport in Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, reports Fuji News Network (Feb. 14).
According to Thai police, Fujinuma is suspected of deceiving the high school student living in Japan, providing him with an airplane ticket and taking him to a fraud group’s base in Myanmar last month to participate in fraud.
The high school student, 17, is believed to have become acquainted with Fujinuma through an online game.
The Japanese Embassy requested assistance from Thai authorities to search for the missing boy. He was rescued on January 17 and returned to Japan afterwards.
Fujinuma is expected to be deported to Japan in the future as an arrest warrant has been issued in Japan on multiple charges, including kidnapping for profit.
Tokushu sagi
Fraud groups are active in Myanmar. Many specialize in tokushu sagi, meaning specialized fraud. Perpetrators of this crime target a victim over the telephone and impersonate an authority figure or relative to defraud money from them.
In January, a Chinese actor was kidnapped in Thailand and forced to participate in a specialized fraud scheme from a base in Myanmar, which borders Thailand.
A Thai citizens group that supports victims claims that more than 6,000 people — including 26 Japanese nationals — are being held captive in crime bases in Myanmar.
In Thailand, authorities are also cracking down on the practice.
On February 12, about 260 foreigners believed to have been held captive by a fraud group were rescued and sent from Myanmar across a river to Thailand.
According to Thai authorities, the rescued people are from 20 countries and regions, mainly in Asia and Africa. All of them had been forced to take part in fraud in Myanmar.
On the Thai side, more than 100 soldiers and more than 10 military transport trucks were used to transport the rescued people. After they are questioned them about how they came to Myanmar, they are expected to be deported to their respective countries.
No Japanese have been confirmed among the 260 people rescued.
