TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested 11 people involved in an illegal mahjong parlor in Taito Ward that is believed to have funneled revenue to organized crime, reports TBS News (Feb. 27).
On February 26, police raided Jewel, located in the Ueno entertainment district, and seized three mahjong tables and around 6 million yen in cash.
Police also arrested Takuma Yonezawa, the 31-year-old manager, and four other employees, for operating a gambling parlor and profiting from it. They also arrested eleven male and female customers. Also of the suspects admit to the allegations, police said.
According to police, the customers played mahjong in three groups at the time, and Yonezawa and his team collected 2,500 or 3,000 yen from the customers after each game of Tofu-sen, a form of mahjong.
Over a 15-month period, the operation is believed to accrued around 450 million yen in sales.
The raid was conducted after an undercover investigation, which began after law enforcement received a tip. Police are continuing the investigation, notably into whether a yakuza organization receive a portion of the sales.
