Thai Police Hunt 2 Suspected “Yakuza” Gang Members Over Dismembered Body

Police have revealed photographs and identities of two Japanese Yakuza and one Thai suspects in the murder and dismemberment of Japanese man Kabashima Ryosuke. Two men suspected of being Japanese Yakuza

The two men are the primary suspects in the murder and dismemberment of a compatriot, whose body discovered in Nonthaburi province last week. On Friday, a 10-year-old kid discovered a human hand in a bush on Soi Chat San Sawing 2 off Ban Kluai-Sai Noi Road in Tambon Pimolrat, Bang Bua Thong district.

On Tuesday, Nonthaburi Provincial Police and Bang Bua Thong Police uncovered decayed human parts, including a skull and bone joints, in many black plastic bags scattered among bushes at Soi Phu Yai Liam. According to a police source, the skull had a gunshot wound.

Police launched their search for the two men after a 30-year-old Thai suspect, Kritsakorn Jaiphitak, was apprehended on Tuesday night.

The man stated that three Japanese men had hired him as a chauffeur to transport them to a factory in the Phutthamonthon Sai 2 region.

The three men were later identified as Suzuki Hiroto, 33, Kato Takuya, 50, and Kabashima Ryosuke, 47 — the deceased all three are suspected Japanese Yakuza.

Mr Kritsakorn informed police Ryosuke sat next to him in the front passenger seat, while Mr Hiroto and Mr Takuya occupied the back seat. He said he didn’t comprehend what they had said, but he could tell they were having an altercation as he was driving.

They instructed him to go to a warehouse in Bang Bua Thong, Nonthaburi.

When the automobile arrived at its location, the two alleged Yakuza urged him to depart, which he did while having a smoke break. He told police that the males were arguing in the car. He later heard a gunfire. He rushed to the scene and discovered Ryosuke’s dead on the ground, blood gushing from his skull.

Japanese Yakuza Dismembered the Body

He claimed that the two Japanese men transported the body to the factory, dismembered it, and then returned to the car carrying black plastic bags. He alleged that he was directed to dump the bags in various locations throughout the Bang Bua Thong region.

Mr Kritsakorn faces an initial allegation of conspiring to conceal a body, according to Pol Col Parit Chamroonsat, superintendent of Bang Bua Thong Police.

Following the interrogation, Pol Col Parit directed the police investigation team to gather all evidence before seeking a court order for arrest warrants against the two Japanese suspects.

According to Pol Col Parit, a background check revealed that they are Yakuza, based on tattoos found on the deceased’s hand.

Mr Hiroto and Mr Takuya are also wanted in Japan, he explained.

Yakuza gang in Thailand

Immigration officers were told to collaborate with Interpol to apprehend the two suspects on murder charges. They are believed to be on the run in Thailand. Investigators also discovered that one of the suspects is the second-in-command of a Yakuza gang and has been living in the kingdom for a long time.

His visa was revoked in 2022, and he is wanted by Japanese police. Officers said the gang is also involved in a contact center fraud.

The Japanese Yakuza, a legendary crime group, has built a strong presence in Thailand. Their criminal operations include drug trafficking, money laundering, prostitution, and extortion.

Thai authorities are struggling to contain the Yakuza’s influence, which extends to local gangs and corrupt officials. Members frequently operate as genuine enterprises, taking advantage of Thailand’s lenient restrictions. With its vast wealth and ruthless violence, the Yakuza remains a formidable influence in the country’s clandestine economy.