HOKKAIDO (TR) – As a part of an investigation in the nationwide theft of nearly two billion yen from ATMs last year, Tokyo Metropolitan Police have raided an office of an affiliate gang of the Yamaguchi-gumi in Asahikawa City, reports Fuji News Network (Mar. 21).
At around 10:00 a.m. on Monday, officers entered an office of the Kyokudo-kai in search of evidence connected to the use of forged credit cards with data leaked from a bank in South Africa by dozens of persons to steal approximately 1.86 billion yen from ATMs nationwide in 2.5 hours on May 15 of last year.
The thieves targeted more than 1,400 ATMs in convenience stores in 17 administrative districts, including Tokyo and the prefectures of Kanagawa, Aichi, Osaka and Fukuoka.
According to police, the number-three boss in the Kyokudo-kai, 49, is suspected of giving orders in the heist.
Police had previously arrested more than 170 persons in the case, including members of six criminal syndicates. This is the first time that law enforcement has raided an office of the Yamaguchi-gumi.