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2 Kudo-kai gangsters arrested over illegal TV cards, headquarters raided

Kudo-kai members allegedly used illegal B-CAS cards in their televisions between last August and January
Kudo-kai members allegedly used illegal B-CAS cards in their televisions between last August and January

FUKUOKA (TR) – One week after the arrest of two Kudo-kai gang members for the use of illegal television cards, Fukuoka Prefectural Police raided the headquarters of the organized crime group in Kitakyushu City, reports the Mainichi Shimbun (Feb. 18).

At 11:00 a.m. on Monday, approximately 120 officers entered the Kudo-kai compound, located in Kokurakita Ward, and one other location in search of evidence related to the previous arrests.

According to the Nikkei Shimbun (Feb. 13), officers on February 12 arrested Kudo-kai members Toshihide Koga, 51, and Koji Ogawa, 42, for allegedly using illegal B-CAS cards in their televisions between last August and January. The cards enabled the reception of satellite broadcasting channels free of charge.

Japanese digital broadcasting signals are encrypted. B-CAS cards, which are inserted into televisions and tuners, are needed to decode the broadcasts. The suspects have been charged with using illegally produced private electromagnetic materials.

Prefectural police also searched the Kudo-kai headquarters and multiple gang-affiliated locations in January after being tipped that gang members had been using the cards. Investigators are now attempting to determine how the gang is obtaining the cards.