U.S. prosecutors have charged a reputed member of Japan's criminal underworld with allegedly plotting to traffic nuclear materials.
It is claimed that Takeshi Ebisawa, 60, attempted to peddle uranium and plutonium he believed would be destined for Iran for the purposes of constructing a nuclear weapon.
Ebisawa and an associate from Thailand had previously been accused of weapons and drug-related offenses in April 2022.
If found guilty of the latest accusations, Ebisawa could face life imprisonment.
American authorities assert that Ebisawa, currently in custody in Brooklyn, holds a high-ranking position within the Japanese mafia known as the Yakuza, which has operations in countries like Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, and the U.S. The U.S. Department of Justice asserts that Ebisawa and his associates presented samples of nuclear materials in Thailand to an undercover agent from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).
The agent posed as a trafficker with connections to an Iranian military figure. The nuclear samples, sourced from Myanmar, were confiscated by Thai authorities and handed over to U.S. investigators, who verified their content.
Prosecutors also claim Ebisawa sought to procure significant amounts of military-grade weaponry on behalf of a specific insurgent group in Myanmar.
These weapons included surface-to-air missiles, assault and sniper rifles, machine guns, rockets of varying calibers, and assorted tactical gear.
Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olden remarked that it was disturbing to envision the potential repercussions had these trafficking efforts succeeded, adding that the justice department would hold accountable anyone involved in trafficking these materials and compromising U.S. national security and international stability.
In February 2020, Ebisawa reportedly approached the DEA agent about selling nuclear materials. He later explained via encrypted communication that uranium "is not good for your health."
Subsequently, in September of the same year, Ebisawa emailed the undercover DEA agent a letter bearing the name of a mining company. He offered to sell 50 tonnes of uranium and thorium for USD 6.85 million.
Prosecutors further claim that Ebisawa sent images showing "a dark rocky material" accompanied by a Geiger counter, used to gauge radiation levels.
Ebisawa faces charges including conspiracy to commit international trafficking of nuclear materials, conspiracy to import narcotics, conspiracy to acquire, transfer, and possess anti-aircraft missiles, and money laundering.
His Thai accomplice, 61-year-old Somphop Singhasiri, faces charges related to drug and weapons offenses.
Both will be arraigned in a New York federal courtroom on Thursday.
Ebisawa and an associate from Thailand had previously been accused of weapons and drug-related offenses in April 2022.
If found guilty of the latest accusations, Ebisawa could face life imprisonment.
American authorities assert that Ebisawa, currently in custody in Brooklyn, holds a high-ranking position within the Japanese mafia known as the Yakuza, which has operations in countries like Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, and the U.S. The U.S. Department of Justice asserts that Ebisawa and his associates presented samples of nuclear materials in Thailand to an undercover agent from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).
The agent posed as a trafficker with connections to an Iranian military figure. The nuclear samples, sourced from Myanmar, were confiscated by Thai authorities and handed over to U.S. investigators, who verified their content.
Prosecutors also claim Ebisawa sought to procure significant amounts of military-grade weaponry on behalf of a specific insurgent group in Myanmar.
These weapons included surface-to-air missiles, assault and sniper rifles, machine guns, rockets of varying calibers, and assorted tactical gear.
Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olden remarked that it was disturbing to envision the potential repercussions had these trafficking efforts succeeded, adding that the justice department would hold accountable anyone involved in trafficking these materials and compromising U.S. national security and international stability.
In February 2020, Ebisawa reportedly approached the DEA agent about selling nuclear materials. He later explained via encrypted communication that uranium "is not good for your health."
Subsequently, in September of the same year, Ebisawa emailed the undercover DEA agent a letter bearing the name of a mining company. He offered to sell 50 tonnes of uranium and thorium for USD 6.85 million.
Prosecutors further claim that Ebisawa sent images showing "a dark rocky material" accompanied by a Geiger counter, used to gauge radiation levels.
Ebisawa faces charges including conspiracy to commit international trafficking of nuclear materials, conspiracy to import narcotics, conspiracy to acquire, transfer, and possess anti-aircraft missiles, and money laundering.
His Thai accomplice, 61-year-old Somphop Singhasiri, faces charges related to drug and weapons offenses.
Both will be arraigned in a New York federal courtroom on Thursday.
Source: BBC
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