U.S. Attorney Damian Williams | U.S. Department of Justice
Takeshi Ebisawa, a 60-year-old Japanese national, has admitted to his involvement in trafficking nuclear materials and engaging in narcotics and weapons crimes. The plea was entered in Manhattan, New York, where Ebisawa faced charges of conspiring with associates to move nuclear substances like uranium and weapons-grade plutonium from Burma to other nations.
Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen emphasized the seriousness of the crime: “Today’s plea should serve as a stark reminder to those who imperil our national security by trafficking weapons-grade plutonium and other dangerous materials on behalf of organized criminal syndicates that the Department of Justice will hold you accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
Anne Milgram from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) highlighted the agency's role in uncovering international crime: “This case demonstrates DEA’s unparalleled ability to dismantle the world's most dangerous criminal networks... Protecting the American people from such evil will always remain DEA’s top priority.”
Acting U.S. Attorney Edward Y. Kim outlined Ebisawa's activities: “As he admitted in federal court today, Takeshi Ebisawa brazenly trafficked nuclear material, including weapons-grade plutonium, out of Burma.” He noted Ebisawa's attempts to trade heroin and methamphetamine for heavy weaponry intended for use in Burma.
The investigation revealed that since 2019, Ebisawa had been involved with a network spanning several countries including Japan, Thailand, and Sri Lanka. He conspired with an undercover DEA agent posing as a trafficker to negotiate transactions involving narcotics and arms.
Ebisawa also attempted to sell large quantities of methamphetamine and heroin for distribution in New York. During these negotiations, samples were provided by one of his co-defendants.
In early 2020, Ebisawa discussed selling nuclear materials he claimed access to. Photographs depicting radioactive substances were sent during these discussions as part of an effort facilitated by UC-1—a DEA undercover agent—to sell these materials under false pretenses.
Thai authorities helped seize nuclear samples which were then examined by U.S. experts confirming they contained uranium, thorium, and plutonium suitable for weaponization.
Ebisawa pleaded guilty to multiple charges with potential sentences ranging from ten years up to life imprisonment depending on specific counts related to international trafficking and money laundering.
The investigation was conducted by various DEA offices worldwide alongside law enforcement partners from Indonesia, Japan, and Thailand under an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces operation led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kaylan E. Lasky among others.
