TOKYO (TR) – Gifu Prefectural Police announced on Tuesday the bust of two soapland bathhouses in the Kanazuen red-light area of Gifu City for prostitution, reports the Mainichi Shimbun (Jan. 16).
On January 13, officers from the anti-organized crime division took the manager of Duras Classic, 39-year-old Masaki Kakihara, the proprietor of Gold Models, 37-year-old Tomoko Shimakura, and 10 other employees for participating in the offering of sex services in private rooms in violation of the Anti-Prostitution Law over a three-week period in November of last year.
The majority of the suspects have reportedly admitted to the allegations.
There are 64 soapland clubs located in the Kanazuen area. According to Nikkan Sports (Jan. 15), a total of four clubs were searched. Officers seized employee registration books, pay slips, and 38.5 million yen in cash.
Sources on the Web indicate that services at Duras Classic begin at 30,000 yen for the first 80 minutes. (A commercial for the club is included in the YouTube video below.)
This was the first raid of the district in five years. Investigators are now examining whether the clubs were being used a source of funds for organized crime.
