TOKYO (TR) – Four members of a gang affiliated with the Yamaguchi-gumi organized crime group were arrested for allegedly extorting a man who owed them money out of nearly three million yen, reports Nippon News Network (Apr. 9).
Tokyo Metropolitan Police arrested Kazuo Shiina, a 62-year-old executive of the Nagoya-based Kodo-kai, and three other members for allegedly threatening the man, 74, at a gang office in the Azabu Juban area of Minato Ward in August 2016.
The suspects subsequently obtained 300,000 yen in cash and a check for 2.5 million yen from the victim. In carrying out the crime, one of the suspects allegedly announced the name of their gang and said, “Things will go south for you if you make us angry.”
According to Fuji News Network (Apr. 9), the alleged extortion was carried out by the gang members under the pretext of recovery of a 1.5-million yen debt owed by the victim.
All four of the suspects deny the charges.
Police suspect that Shiina is responsible for running Kodo-kai operations in Tokyo.
