NAGOYA (TR) – Aichi Prefectural Police have arrested an organized crime member and the manager of an illegal gambling operation for entering into an agreement for bodyguard services, reports the Sankei Shimbun (Dec. 15).
Between the fall of 2012 and May of the following year, the 45-year-old manager of an Internet casino in Naka Ward is alleged to have paid Waki Tanaka, a 32-year-old member of the Kodo-kai, a total of 1.05 million yen to handle security problems for the business.
The suspects have been charged with violating an ordinance that exists in six prefectures that prohibits payment to organized crime members for security. Both suspects have declined to comment on the allegations.
The application of the ordinance in this case is a first nationwide.
According to police, the manager, who is a Chinese national, threatened customers who lodged claims over wagers placed at the casino by saying that the business was supported by the Kodo-kai.
The Kodo-kai is an affiliate gang of the Yamaguchi-gumi.