Japanese authorities flew Aichi Fraud suspects back to Japan after a major international operation with Cambodian officials. Upon landing at Chubu Centrair International Airport, police took all 29 men into custody. Investigators believe the group ran a phone scam operation based in Cambodia.
The suspects range from teenagers to men in their 50s. Authorities say they targeted elderly people across Japan. The scammers told victims their bank accounts were under investigation. Then, pretending to be police officers, they tricked the victims into transferring money.
The Aichi Fraud group reportedly operated from Poipet, a Cambodian town near the Thai border. In late May, Cambodian police raided the base. They detained the suspects in Phnom Penh before extraditing them to Japan. Japanese officers arranged a charter flight to transport them.
This investigation began after a Japanese man in his 20s escaped the operation in January. He had traveled to Cambodia through Thailand in late December after responding to a job ad. Once inside the scam, he feared leaving. However, he returned to Japan and reported the case to police.
Based on his testimony, Japanese and Cambodian authorities launched a joint investigation. The man claimed eight Chinese nationals supervised the scam. Police are now analyzing digital devices taken during the raid.
Police divided the suspects and sent them to several stations across Aichi Prefecture. Officials plan to press charges after initial questioning. More arrests may follow as the investigation continues.
The Aichi Fraud case shows how scams are becoming international. Police urge the public to be cautious and avoid sharing personal information over the phone. Authorities hope this case sends a strong warning to fraud networks operating across borders.ation.
