TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police have busted an operation in Shinjuku Ward that produced and sold illegal pornographic DVDs, reports TBS News (Feb. 9).
Police raided the headquarters, located inside a residence, and arrested Yoshinori Iizuka, 48, and four other persons. Police also seized multiple computers, dubbing equipment, mobile telephones and about 130,000 illegal discs.
Under Japanese law, films are required to have both male and female genitalia obscured.
Four of the suspects, including Iizuka, admit to the allegations. The fifth suspect denies the charges. “I did it to make a living,” Iizuka was quoted by police.
According to police, Iizuka and the other suspects allegedly sold illegal DVDs to to two men living in the capital last year.
Customers placed orders via an internet site. After requested videos were downloaded from an overseas site, the suspects produced DVDs that were shipped to customers.
Discs were sold in bulk at a rate of five for 1,000 yen. The operation is believed to have accumulated at least 163 million yen in sales, police said.
