OSAKA (TR) – Osaka Prefectural Police raided a nightclub catering to Vietnamese nationals in Osaka City’s Minami nightlife district over the weekend, arresting nine people.
According to Mainichi Broadcasting System (Aug. 30), investigators are moving to dismantle what they suspect is a major hub for illegal drugs.
A massive force of approximately 140 officers from the Minami Police Station stormed the 68K-Club in the early hours of Sunday.
The raid was triggered by an incident in May of this year, when a Vietnamese man in his 20s was discovered unconscious in front of the establishment. He later died. An autopsy revealed his cause of death to be sudden cardiac arrest brought on by an overdose of MDMA and other narcotics.
Subsequent investigations led police to suspect that illegal drug use was rampant inside the club, prompting the large-scale raid.
During the search, officers seized powder believed to be illegal narcotics. Nine Vietnamese men and women who were in the club as customers were arrested on the spot on suspicion of immigration violations, including overstaying their visas.
The probe is far from over, with police suspecting nearly 20 other patrons of illegal drug use. Investigators are now working to uncover the full extent of the operation, including the possible involvement of the club’s management in facilitating the drug ring.
