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UNITED STATES – The U.S. Justice Department charged a Japan Yakuza leader on Wednesday for smuggling nuclear raw materials from Myanmar.
Anne Milgram from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) said that the 60 year old Takeshi Ebisawa was preparing to smuggle nuclear raw materials and narcotics from Myanmar.
Mr. Ebisawa, with links to the Japanese Yakuza, had plans to import the nuclear raw materials from Myanmar to Iran, according to DEA officials.
It was reported that the Yakuza leader had made arrangements with the Iran leaders to transport the nuclear raw materials from Myanmar to Iran via Thailand.
According to the DEA, the raw uranium was planned to be refined to plutonium and used in weapon manufacture in Iran.
In addition to Takeshi Ebisawa, his accomplice, 61 year old Somhop Singhasiri, is also reported to be involved in the case.
The U.S. Justice Department has issued warrants for the Japanese Yakuza leader and his criminal accomplice on February 22.
It is also reported that the two had linked up with an ethnic armed organisation (ERO) in Myanmar to obtain the raw uranium but the ERO was not identified in the report.
The two men were also charged in 2022 for sale of drugs and weapon smuggling. It is reported that the two will be facing new charges by the U.S. Department of Justice.