TOKYO (TR) – In a crackdown on overcharging of customers, Tokyo Metropolitan Police on Wednesday announced the bust of two hostess clubs in Shinjuku Ward, reports TV Asahi (Feb. 25).
On the evening of February 21, Daisuke Funakoshi, a 22-year-old employee at club La Scala, located in the Kabukicho entertainment area, and one other staff member into custody for demanding 150,000 yen from the victim who had spent only 40 minutes inside the premises.
The total bill included a fee for 26 glasses of wine consumed by hostesses.
The other case took place two days later. According to Nikkan Sports (Feb. 25), officers arrested the 30-year-old manager of Club Parcae for presenting a customer with a bill totalling 160,000 yen.
Funakoshi, who has been charged with violating a metropolitan ordinance that prohibits bottakuri, or overcharging, has reportedly denied the allegations. The other two suspects have admitted to the same charges.
Since January of last year, police have received at least 70 complaints of overcharging regarding both clubs.