Thai authorities have arrested Tetsuya Yamaguchi, a 46-year-old Japanese man suspected of operating an international scam network.
Yamaguchi was apprehended last Friday at his rented condominium in central Bangkok following a request from Japanese police, who seek him for fraud and organized crime charges.
Investigators found connections between Yamaguchi and call center scams operating in Cambodia and Vietnam.
His visa was revoked, and he is set to be extradited to Japan in early April.
Four other Japanese suspects with criminal records were also found during the raid, including one managing a front company for money laundering.
Southeast Asia has become a hub for multi-billion-dollar online and phone scams, particularly in Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos, where workers — many coerced — run romance, casino, and investment schemes.
Myanmar has intensified its crackdown on scam compounds under pressure from China, leading to the rescue of thousands of trafficked workers.
Since late February, around 4,500 people have been repatriated through Thailand, including over 3,000 Chinese nationals.
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