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Cops continue crackdown on Yamaguchi-gumi after split

Officers entered the Takumi-gumi headquarters in Osaka on Thursday
Officers entered the Takumi-gumi headquarters in Osaka on Thursday

HYOGO (TR) – Law enforcement this week continued its ongoing monitoring of the troubled Yamaguchi-gumi through more raids of offices presently and formerly connected to the organized crime group, reports TV Asahi (Oct. 29).

At approximately 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, approximately 40 officers from the Hyogo Prefectural Police entered the Yamaguchi-gumi headquarters, located in Kobe’s Nada Ward, in search of evidence connected to the fraudulent registration of a vehicle.

Last week, police arrested Osamu Teraoka, 66, for allegedly using the name of another person in registering a vehicle at a government transportation bureau in Hyogo in September of 2012.

The Kobe Yamaguchi-gumi formed last month after the split of the Yamaguchi-gumi, which is Japan’s largest crime syndicate. The new gang is composed of at least 13 former Yamaguchi-gumi affiliate gangs, including the Kyoyu-kai, which is headed by Teraoka.

At the time of the alleged crime, Teraoka, who is now the number-three boss of the Kobe Yamaguchi-gumi, was within the Yamaguchi-gumi organization.

On Thursday, police searched an office in Osaka of the Takumi-gumi, which is another affiliate gang of the Kobe Yamaguchi-gumi, as a part of the same investigation.

Between September and October 28, law enforcement has raided 76 offices of Yamaguchi-gumi affiliate organizations and those of the Kobe Yamaguchi-gumi. Police have also arrested 96 gangsters over that same period.

Masahito Kanetaka, the chief of the National Police Agency, said at press conference on Thursday that the searches allow for the collection of information related to possible conflicts between the two gangs.

“Through continued and thorough crackdowns, we look forward to civic life that is thoroughly safe,” said Kanetaka, according to the Sankei Shimbun (Oct. 29).