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Tokyo cops: Illegal pachinko parlor in Dogenzaka funded yakuza

Police seized 28 pachi suro machines from Ruby in Dogenzaka (Twitter)
TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested three persons in the bust of an illegal pachinko parlor in Shibuya Ward that is believed to have funded a criminal syndicate, reports TBS News (Feb. 10).

Last September, Masaaki Tanabe, the 49-year-old manager of Ruby, Takayuki Motai, 37, and one other person allegedly provided customers with wagering on pachi suro (or pachinko slot) machines.

Tanabe has declined to the comment on the allegations. Meanwhile, Motai said that he was merely “helping Tanabe.”

Masaaki Tanabe (Twitter)

Located in the Dogenzaka area, Ruby is believed to have accumulated 1 million yen in sales per day.

Police seized an additional 14 machines at a residence in Shibuya rented by Tanabe. The machines were also likely used in illegal gambling.

Police believe that a portion of the revenue from Ruby was funneled to a criminal syndicate.