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| Yakuza boss arrested in Thailand after photos of his tattoos go viral | Yakuza boss arrested in Thailand after photos of his tattoos go viral |
| (13 days later) | |
| A retired Japanese crime boss has been arrested in Thailand, ending more than 14 years on the run, after photos of his yakuza tattoos and a missing little finger went viral. | A retired Japanese crime boss has been arrested in Thailand, ending more than 14 years on the run, after photos of his yakuza tattoos and a missing little finger went viral. |
| Shigeharu Shirai, 72, was apprehended while he was shopping on Wednesday in the central market town of Lopburi. | Shigeharu Shirai, 72, was apprehended while he was shopping on Wednesday in the central market town of Lopburi. |
| Japanese authorities had sought his arrest over an alleged role in the shooting of a rival in 2003, after which he fled to Thailand, married a local woman and drifted into a seemingly peaceful retirement. | Japanese authorities had sought his arrest over an alleged role in the shooting of a rival in 2003, after which he fled to Thailand, married a local woman and drifted into a seemingly peaceful retirement. |
| That was until a resident posted photos of the diminutive retiree playing a streetside checkers game with his intricate gang tattoos on full show and a missing little finger – yakuza members often slice off a fingertip to atone for an offence. | That was until a resident posted photos of the diminutive retiree playing a streetside checkers game with his intricate gang tattoos on full show and a missing little finger – yakuza members often slice off a fingertip to atone for an offence. |
| The images were shared more than 10,000 times and caught the attention of Japanese police, who alerted the Thai authorities. | The images were shared more than 10,000 times and caught the attention of Japanese police, who alerted the Thai authorities. |
| “The suspect admitted he was the leader of the yakuza sub-gang Kodokai,” said a Thai police spokesman, Gen Wirachai Songmetta, referring to an affiliate of Japan’s largest yakuza gang, Yamaguchi-gumi. | “The suspect admitted he was the leader of the yakuza sub-gang Kodokai,” said a Thai police spokesman, Gen Wirachai Songmetta, referring to an affiliate of Japan’s largest yakuza gang, Yamaguchi-gumi. |
| The yakuza emerged in the chaos of postwar Japan, transforming into multibillion-dollar criminal organisations involved in gambling, drugs, prostitution, loan sharking, protection rackets and white-collar crime. | The yakuza emerged in the chaos of postwar Japan, transforming into multibillion-dollar criminal organisations involved in gambling, drugs, prostitution, loan sharking, protection rackets and white-collar crime. |
| They were tolerated as a necessary evil to keep order on the streets – however dubious the means. Unlike the Italian mafia or Chinese triads, yakuza are not illegal and each group has its own headquarters, sometimes in full view of police. | They were tolerated as a necessary evil to keep order on the streets – however dubious the means. Unlike the Italian mafia or Chinese triads, yakuza are not illegal and each group has its own headquarters, sometimes in full view of police. |
| Shirai is accused of shooting dead the boss of a rival faction, for which seven members of his gang were imprisoned for between 12 and 17 years. | Shirai is accused of shooting dead the boss of a rival faction, for which seven members of his gang were imprisoned for between 12 and 17 years. |
| “The suspect has not confessed to murder but has admitted that the victim used to bully him,” the Thai police spokesman said. | “The suspect has not confessed to murder but has admitted that the victim used to bully him,” the Thai police spokesman said. |
| The mobster boss kept a low profile during his stay in Thailand, police said, receiving money two or three times each year from a visiting Japanese man. | The mobster boss kept a low profile during his stay in Thailand, police said, receiving money two or three times each year from a visiting Japanese man. |
| With no passport or visa, he was arrested for entering Thailand illegally and will be extradited to face prosecution in Japan. | With no passport or visa, he was arrested for entering Thailand illegally and will be extradited to face prosecution in Japan. |
| Thailand | Thailand |
| Japan | Japan |
| Organised crime | Organised crime |
| Asia Pacific | Asia Pacific |
| Tattoos | Tattoos |
| news | news |
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