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A notorious member of the Yakuza gang, Takeshi Ebisawa, aged 57 and hailing from Japan, was apprehended in an operation conducted in New York City, Your Content has learned.
He stands accused of orchestrating the acquisition of stolen surface-to-air missiles from a military base in Afghanistan, intending to deliver them to militias in Myanmar.
Unbeknownst to Ebisawa, his negotiations for the illegal weapons were carried out with an undercover agent from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
The plan involved shipping US-manufactured arms to insurgent groups operating in Myanmar.
The payment for the missiles was agreed to be made through an exchange for a substantial quantity of methamphetamine and heroin, which would subsequently be distributed within New York City.
The intended recipients of these weapons were two militant factions actively involved in the ongoing conflicts within Myanmar, also known as Burma.
On Monday and Tuesday, all four individuals involved in this illicit operation were apprehended in Manhattan.
Following their initial court appearances, they are currently in custody.
Ebisawa, a well-known figure within the Yakuza international crime syndicate, has been under surveillance by the DEA since 2019, leading to the successful conclusion of this sting operation, according to The Daily Advent.
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