THAILAND - Two Japanese men were arrested for allegedly forging passports and smuggling at least 300 Thais to Japan, the Immigration Police chief said Wednesday.

Suspects Shinsuke Tanaka, 66, and Koichiro Bekku, 61, were wanted by Japanese authorities for smuggling workers into the country, a crime that is punishable by a jail term and a fine of up to 300,000 (S$4,666), Pol Lt-General Wuth Liptapanlop said.

Apart from the duo arrested in Bangkok on Tuesday, police are also hunting for the rest of the 10-member gang, comprised of both Thai and Japanese nationals. The gang reportedly charges Bt700,000 per head to smuggle Thai workers into Japan, and Bt800,000 per head to get Chinese workers in Canada into the US.

Police initially charged Tanaka, who owns two restaurants on Sukhumvit Road as a "cover business", with overstaying his visa - which could see him jailed for up to two years - and Bt20,000 in fines. It revoked Bekku's visa before deporting them to Japan. -The Nation/ANN