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Tokyo cops bust illegal pachinko parlor in Ueno, arrest 11

Ryota Ogawa
Ryota Ogawa
TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police on Thursday announced the raid of a pachinko parlor operating illegally in Taito Ward, reports the Sankei Shimbun (Feb. 12).

On Wednesday at 12:35 a.m., police busted parlor King Kong, located in the Ueno district, and took Ryota Ogawa, the 33-year-old manager, and three employees into custody for allowing customers to wager on 44 high-return pachisuro (pachinko slot) machines considered to be in violation of the law.

All four suspects have reportedly admitted to the allegations. Ogawa told police that he engaged in the crime in order to make money.

Officers also arrested seven male customers present at the time of the raid.

The pachisuro machines in the parlor are considered older models and had been purchased from another operation. Unlike most machines that utilize tokens, those found in King Kong operate on real currency.

At the entrance to the parlor, a security system monitored regular customers entering the premises and those accompanied by street touts.

According to police, the operation has collected 33 million yen in revenue since opening in August of last year.