TOKYO (TR) – As a part of a crackdown on the sale of illegal pornographic DVDs in the Kabukicho red-light district of Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo Metropolitan Police seized nearly 600,000 such discs in a series of raids, the largest seizure on record, reports Jiji Press (Nov. 27).
In a series of simultaneous raids of 10 locations, including five shops and multiple warehouses, in the Kabukicho area and nearby, police seized approximately 580,000 DVDs whose content is considered obscene. As well, a total of 17 persons were arrested on suspicion of the distribution of obscene digital media.
In one raid, Ariaki Morita, 47, was found to be in possession of 234,800 illegal DVDs in a basement warehouse of a building in the Shinjuku area of Shinjuku Ward on Saturday. According to police, the warehouses worked in conjunction with the shops in supplying the discs to be sold.
Under Japanese law, films are required to have both male and female genitalia obscured. The seizure of 580,000 discs is the largest quantity on record, police said.
All of the suspects admit to the allegations, telling police they committed the crime to make a living.
In 2005, there were about 200 shops in the capital peddling such DVDs, according to police. With the recent busts, that figure is believed to have now dropped to zero.