How A Single Photo Finally Took Down A Wanted Japanese Crime Lord

A Japanese gangster was finally arrested after being on the run for 14 years. He was part of one yakuza group, an organized crime syndicate that is notorious for their backdoor acts of violence.

The suspect, Shigeharu Shirai, was wanted for allegedly killing the boss of a rival gang for which seven of his members were imprisoned for between 12 to 17 years. He was also suspected for his involvement in other bloody battles.

For over a decade, his whereabouts could not be determined, with the Japanese police continuing to keep their eyes out for signs of him.

He was finally arrested at 72 years old due to a stroke of bad luck. A local from Thailand had posted a photo of Shirai playing a game of checkers in the park with his friends. He grabbed the former’s attention with his cool style, wearing a baseball cap and shrugging off his checkered shirt to expose his colorful tattoos.

Uncle, you’re my idol. When I grow up, will I look like you?

— Thai Local

He notably had a missing little finger, something that gets cut off in the yakuza should they commit an offense.

The Japanese police saw the post which had been shared over 10,000 times. They immediately contacted the Thai police and had a SWAT team corner Shirai in January 2018. He was hiding in the town of Lopburi, Thailand, with his local wife.

Shirai admitted to the police that he was the leader of his own gang and that he had problems with the man he was suspected of killing. He did not, however, confess to murdering him.

The suspect admitted that he was the leader of the Yakuza sub-gang Kodokai. The suspect has not confessed to murder but has admitted that the victim used to bully him.

— Thai spokesperson