A Yakuza leader faces serious charges for attempting to traffic nuclear materials and weapons across borders
New York: A Yakuza boss named Takeshi Ebisawa was caught trying to traffic plutonium and heavy weapons. This guy was really in over his head.
At 60 years old, Ebisawa got himself into a world of trouble by moving dangerous materials from Myanmar. He was part of a huge illegal operation.
During a DEA sting, he made it easy for them to catch him. He even sent photos of the weapons to an undercover agent to show off how dangerous they were.
Now, he’s looking at decades behind bars after being charged in February 2024. The acting US attorney called his actions “brazen” and said he was trafficking nuclear material.
But that’s not all. Ebisawa was also trying to send drugs like heroin and meth to the US, trading them for weapons. Talk about a risky business!
In court, he pled guilty to working with a network to move nuclear materials out of Myanmar. He also admitted to drug trafficking and weapons charges.
This whole scheme came to light thanks to a daring DEA investigation back in 2021. Ebisawa thought he was selling to an Iranian general who wanted nuclear materials for a weapons program.
He unwittingly introduced the undercover agent to his criminal network, which stretched across several countries, including Japan and Thailand.
They were even trying to buy US-made missiles in exchange for drugs. Ebisawa was in deep, trying to sell 500kg of meth and heroin for distribution in New York.
He first contacted the agent in early 2020, claiming he had access to a large stash of nuclear materials. Prosecutors say these materials came from a leader of an insurgent group in Myanmar.
He sent photos showing radiation levels and claimed to have lab analysis to back it up. But the deal fell apart, and he was arrested in a joint operation involving multiple countries.
His sentencing is set for April 9. Myanmar, where this all started, has been in turmoil since a military coup in 2021, making it a hotspot for crime.
With its wealth of rare materials, including uranium, Myanmar is a dangerous place for these kinds of operations.
