SAITAMA (TR) – Saitama Prefectural Police this week raided the office of a criminal syndicate in Saitama City as a part of an investigation into an alleged extortion, reports TV Asahi (Dec. 7).
Beginning on Friday morning, officers raided an office of the Sumiyoshi-kai, located near JR Omiya Station, in search of evidence connected to the alleged attempted collection of mikajimeryo, or “protection money.”
Officers had previously arrested Yuki Higa, a 34-year-old member of the gang, and four other persons for threatening four male street scouts who recruit women for the sex industry.
According to police, the scouts declined to pay mikajimeryo fees, which resulted in a dispute in October. “We’ll wipe you out,” one of the suspects reportedly threatened the scouts.
