Takeshi Ebisawa, a high-ranking member of the Japanese Yakuza, has pleaded guilty in a New York federal court to several serious charges, including trafficking nuclear materials and international narcotics trafficking. Prosecutors allege that Ebisawa was the key figure in a scheme to send American weapons, including surface-to-air missiles, to ethnic militias in Myanmar in exchange for heroin and methamphetamine. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Manhattan stated that the 60-year-old Ebisawa conspired to acquire heavy weaponry for armed groups in Myanmar and accepted drugs as partial payment. His charges include narcotics importation, money laundering, and conspiracy related to the illegal procurement of weapons. Ebisawa now faces a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and up to life imprisonment. The Yakuza is known as a significant organized crime syndicate in Japan, and this case highlights their involvement in international drug and weapons trafficking. The situation is ongoing, with updates expected as new details emerge.
