An American man and his son accused of helping ousted Nissan boss, Carlos Ghosn, flee Japan was taken into Japanese custody after a plane carrying the two landed near Tokyo.

Local media reported on Tuesday.

Japanese prosecutors had arrested former Green, Beret Michael Taylor, and his son, Peter Taylor after the two were handed over for extradition by U.S. authorities, Kyodo News reported, citing unnamed investigative sources.

The pair were suspected of helping smuggle Mr. Ghosn out of Japan, where he was facing trial, hidden in a music instrument box on a private jet in December 2019.

The Taylors lost a months-long battle against extradition in February after their arrest in Massachusetts last May by U.S. authorities at Japanese prosecutors’ request.

The two helped the auto tycoon flee Japan for Lebanon in a stunning escape from justice. Lebanon has no extradition treaty with Japan.

Mr. Ghosn, the former head of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Motors alliance, was arrested in Tokyo in November 2018 and charged with breach of trust and falsifying financial documents to understate his income for years. 

(dpa/NAN)