TOKYO (TR) – As a part of an ongoing crackdown, Tokyo Metropolitan Police have raided the headquarters of the Kohei-ikka, a branch of the Sumiyoshi-kai yakuza syndicate, reports Nippon News Network (Apr. 1).
On Wedesday, officers raided the headquarters of Kohei-ikka in Itabashi Ward as a part of an investigation into allegations that members kidnapped and assaulted a fellow gangster.
The Kohei-ikka is the largest yakuza group in the capital. It is believed to be heavily involved in tokushu sagi, or specialized fraud, and drug trafficking. Tokushu sagi is carried out on the telephone by a caller impersonating an authority figure or a victim’s relative.
Last year, the Sumiyoshi-kai was involved in approximately 60 percent of the special fraud cases involving yakuza, with about 70 percent of those perpetrators being members of the Kohei-ikka.
“From all angles”
On Monday, Tokyo Metropolitan Police held a “Special Countermeasures System Strengthening Ceremony” at its headquarters in Kasumigaseki, reports Jiji Press (Apr. 30).
Superintendent General Hiroki Tsutsui, speaking to approximately 200 executives in attendance, pointed out that the Kohei-ikka is backing tokuryu operations, which are anonymous criminal groups whose members communicate via smartphone apps.
He stated, “I want the relevant departments to gather relevant information and pursue investigations from all angles to completely dismantle the Kohei-ikka.”
AloJapan.com