Four Japanese nationals have been arrested in Mae Sot district of Tak province after illegally crossing the Thailand-Myanmar border to Myawaddy, police said on Saturday.
The four men, who were arrested on Friday, had active arrest warrants in Japan for criminal and drug-related charges, said Pol Gen Thatchai Pitaneelaboot, inspector-general of the Royal Thai Police.
Police and local authorities have stepped up efforts to patrol natural channels and crossings along the Thailand-Myanmar border in response to growing international concern — especially from China — about criminal activity on the Myanmar side of the border.
Police said the Japanese suspects travelled by van into Mae Sot, where they checked into a hotel on Jan 31. They checked out on Feb 1, took a taxi to the Rim Moei Market, near the 1st Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge, and walked around like other tourists before disappearing.
At 11am the same day, police spotted a Myanmar national arriving from Myawaddy to Thailand via the bridge. The individual picked up the luggage belonging to the Japanese men from the hotel and returned to Myanmar without passing through Thai customs.
Authorities determined that the Japanese men had illegally crossed the border and were likely involved in transnational crimes or a call centre scam gang targeting Japanese citizens.
Police contacted the Japanese Embassy, which confirmed the four had criminal records and multiple arrest warrants for drug-related offences in Japan. When the individuals crossed back into Thailand on Friday, they were immediately arrested, and their tourist visas were revoked, Pol Gen Thatchai said.
The suspects are being detained at Mae Sot Immigration and are expected to be transferred to the Immigration Detention Centre in Soi Suan Phlu in Bangkok for legal proceedings before being deported to Japan.
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