China hands over Yamaguchi-gumi member wanted on drug charges

BEIJING (TR) – Chinese police on Tuesday handed over Ryuji Hasegawa, a member of the Yamaguchi-gumi organized crime group wanted on drug charges, to Japanese law enforcement at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, reports public broadcaster NHK (Sept. 24).

Hasegawa, 46, is wanted by Japanese authorities in connection with the alleged smuggling of 15,000 MDMA pills (also known as Ecstasy) by another Japanese national out of Shanghai to Japan in 2007.

The transfer came after Japanese police issued a request through Interpol. In August, Hasegawa had been taken into custody for staying illegally in Guangzhou, China.

In May of 2008, a court in Fuzhou sentenced Hasegawa to two years in prison for drug offenses. In addition to drug charges, Hasegawa has a criminal record in Japan for murder and robbery.

“We will crack down severely on any future trend of drug smuggling by Japanese nationals,” a Chinese law enforcement official is quoted.

After being handed over to Japanese police officers at the airport, Hasegawa boarded a flight for Japan.