TOKYO (TR) – Osaka prefectural police on Friday busted a slot machine parlor and made three arrests in an ongoing crackdown on illegal gambling dens in the Minami entertainment area of Chuo Ward, reports the Sankei Shimbun (Nov. 30).
Officers entered club New York and arrested the 53-year-old manager and two other suspects on suspicion of operating a gambling venue for the purpose of monetary gain. Law enforcement also seized 29 pachisuro (or pachinko-slot) machines and arrested five customers.
According to investigators, New York, which opened in 2010, was set up inside a high-end apartment building and considered “underground” as it did not have a license for such operations. Customers were required to pass through double doors monitored by a camera, and first-time patrons went through an extensive screening process.
The manager has reportedly denied the allegations.
According to Nippon News Network, investigators believe revenue from the club was being funneled to organized crime.
Two weeks before, officers busted roulette parlor Body Talk, also located in the Minami area, and arrested six suspects. The wheel and five million yen in cash were seized.