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| Yakuza boss arrested in Thailand after tattoos go viral | Yakuza boss arrested in Thailand after tattoos go viral |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Thai police have arrested a Japanese yakuza boss on the run for 15 years after pictures of his tattoos went viral on Facebook. | Thai police have arrested a Japanese yakuza boss on the run for 15 years after pictures of his tattoos went viral on Facebook. |
| Shigeharu Shirai is accused of murdering a gang rival in 2003. | Shigeharu Shirai is accused of murdering a gang rival in 2003. |
| The photographs of the 74-year old fugitive's elaborate yakuza tattoos were taken by a local person in Thailand unaware of his identity. | |
| The mafia-like yakuza gangs have been part of Japanese society for centuries and have an estimated 60,000 members. | The mafia-like yakuza gangs have been part of Japanese society for centuries and have an estimated 60,000 members. |
| While the gangs themselves are not illegal, much of their earnings are gained illicitly through gambling, prostitution, drug trafficking and cyber-hacking. | While the gangs themselves are not illegal, much of their earnings are gained illicitly through gambling, prostitution, drug trafficking and cyber-hacking. |
| When the pictures of Mr Shirai went viral they caught the attention of Japanese police who requested his arrest. | |
| Police detained him in the town of Lopburi, north of Bangkok, for visa violations and he will be extradited to Japan to face the murder charges. | Police detained him in the town of Lopburi, north of Bangkok, for visa violations and he will be extradited to Japan to face the murder charges. |
| According to Thai police, he admitted he was a member of a yakuza gang but did not confess to the 2003 murder. He fled Japan for Thailand in 2005. | According to Thai police, he admitted he was a member of a yakuza gang but did not confess to the 2003 murder. He fled Japan for Thailand in 2005. |
| Tattoos and a missing finger | Tattoos and a missing finger |
| The Facebook pictures show an old and frail-looking man with his entire back and most of his chest covered in tattoos. He is seen playing a board game with other retirees by the side of the road. | The Facebook pictures show an old and frail-looking man with his entire back and most of his chest covered in tattoos. He is seen playing a board game with other retirees by the side of the road. |
| Pictures also show that he is missing part of his little finger, often a self-administered punishment for members of Japan's yakuza gangs to atone for mistakes. | Pictures also show that he is missing part of his little finger, often a self-administered punishment for members of Japan's yakuza gangs to atone for mistakes. |