Japanese crime boss admits smuggling nuclear material from Myanmar

(CLO) On Wednesday (January 8), crime boss Takeshi Ebisawa of the Japanese Yakuza gang pleaded guilty in federal court in New York (USA) for smuggling nuclear materials from Myanmar to other countries.

The US Justice Department confirmed that Ebisawa also admitted to charges related to international drug and weapons trafficking.

Takeshi Ebisawa in this photo taken on February 3, 2021. Photo: US Court

According to the indictment, Ebisawa and his network of co-defendants conspired to transport weapons-grade uranium and plutonium from Myanmar, allegedly for use in Iran’s nuclear weapons development. The case was discovered in February 2024, when US authorities announced the charges.

In addition, Ebisawa was also charged in 2022 with large-scale drug and arms trafficking. He is accused of shipping large quantities of heroin and methamphetamine to the United States in exchange for heavy weapons, including anti-aircraft missiles, to serve the wars in Myanmar.

“As he admitted in court, Takeshi Ebisawa boldly smuggled nuclear material, including weapons-grade plutonium, from Myanmar. At the same time, he also smuggled large quantities of narcotics into the United States in exchange for heavy weapons and laundered money from New York to Tokyo,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Edward Kim of the Southern District of New York.

Ebisawa's smuggling scheme was foiled thanks to close cooperation between authorities from the US, Indonesia, Japan and Thailand.

According to international sources, the smuggling of nuclear materials and drugs is often linked to transnational criminal organizations, backed by complex money laundering networks. Countries such as Myanmar, which have unstable political situations, often become transit hubs for these illegal activities.

Cao Phong (according to The Guardian, NY Times)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/trum-toi-pham-nhat-ban-thua-nhan-buon-lau-vat-lieu-hat-nhan-tu-myanmar-post329647.html