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Tokushima cops raid Yamaguchi-gumi affiliate for fraud, gambling cases

Police searched the offices of the Shinbuku-kai on Sunday
Police searched the offices of the Shinbuku-kai on Sunday

TOKUSHIMA (TR) – As a part of ongoing intelligence gathering following the split of the Yamaguchi-gumi, Tokushima Prefectural Police on Sunday morning raided an affiliate gang, reports the Mainichi Broadcasting System (Sep. 27).

At approximately 10 a.m., officers entered the headquarters of the Shinbuku-kai, located in Tokushima City, in search of evidence connected to fraud and gambling cases.

The day before, police arrested upper-lever member Kazuhiro Otsu, 50, for allegedly using the name of an acquaintance to fraudulently obtain credit cards and electronic cards used to pay tolls on expressways in March and April of 2011.

Police also arrested top boss Kenji Otsu, 39, for accepting 5.5 million yen in wagers on professional baseball games from four gamblers between August 4 and 10.

The raid is in preparation for a possible conflict between the Yamaguchi-gumi, which is Japan’s largest organized crime group, and the recently formed rival gang the Kobe Yamaguchi-gumi.

On September 1, the Kobe-based Yamaguchi-gumi chose to break up by excommunicating 13 affiliate gangs. The Kobe Yamaguchi-gumi, which is comprised of 14 gangs, formed four days after the dissolution.

Since the break up, police have also raided the headquarters of the Yamaken-gumi, a key member of the Kobe Yamaguchi-gumi, and the Tsukasa Kogyo, an organization in Nagoya that is loyal to Shinobu Tsukasau, the current boss of the Yamaguchi-gumi.