A Japanese man said to be a former Yakuza gangster, was arrested twice over the past week on suspicion of rubber glove fraud reportedly worth 286 million baht.
Pol Lt Gen Jirabhop Bhuridej, commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), said yesterday that Shuichi Ozawa, 42, was arrested at a hotel in the Ploenchit area of Bangkok last Thursday for unauthorised production of medical equipment.
He said the suspect was a former member of the Sumiyoshi gang in Japan.
Pol Col Neti Wongkularb, superintendent of the Consumer Protection Police Division, said that the arrest was the result of a raid on a warehouse belonging to the suspect in Moo 11 village of tambon Huai Yai in Chon Buri's Bang Lamung district on June 8 which saw substandard medical gloves worth about 100 million baht seized.
The Pattaya Court issued a warrant for his arrest on Nov 6.
Last Thursday police also arrested the suspect's Thai wife -- identified only as Supanida, 24 -- on suspicion of selling the merchandise, many orders of which were also never fulfilled, Pol Col Neti said.
Last Friday, police found over 10 million more pairs of the gloves in six cargo containers at a container yard in Chon Buri's Si Racha district, Pol Col Neti said.
Pol Maj Gen Phuthidej Boonkraphue, commander of the Economic Crime Suppression Division, said Mr Ozawa was released on bail but arrested again in Bang Lamung district last Saturday after complaints of fraud by two foreign companies.
Buyers had been lured into handing over at least 286 million baht, but the suspect had transferred most assets to close aides, Pol Maj Gen Phuthidej said.
After arriving in Thailand, Mr Ozawa had taught English and Japanese in the Northeast, and it was when his school shut down during the Covid-19 pandemic that he began the criminal business, the commander said.