Ex-Goto-gumi member wanted for murder killed in Thailand. Dead men have no mouths. 死人に口なし
According to several sources, on April 27th, a Thai tour guide was arrested after he confessed to shooting to death one Japanese tourist and wounding another while they were trekking in northern Thailand. The two “tourists” are believed to be former yakuza members. Apichart Inphisak, the 41-year-old guide, was arrested Tuesday at a friend’s house [...]
The 8th International Conference on Asian Organized Crime and Terrorism
The FBI, the DEA, and the The International Organization of Asian Crime Investigators and Specialists (IOASIS) were kind enough to invite me to speak at their 8th conference, in Las Vegas, and allow me to attend the lectures with other law enforcement officers. I will be spending most of this week learning about areas of [...]
Yakuza members in Japan lowest since 1992 anti-organized laws went in to effect; National Police Agency announces 2010 figures
At end of 2010, the number of yakuza members in Japan, including full-members and associate members was an estimated 78,600 members, 2300 less than the year before, the lowest number since the anti-organized crime laws went into effect. The National Police Agency, which is an administrative body overseeing all 47 Police Department in Japan, announces [...]
The worst of times can bring out the best in everyone, even the yakuza.
I wrote this piece for the Daily Beast and supplied them with confidential materials to vet the article as well. I’d like to say that I’m not an advocate of the yakuza; I don’t consider them generally a force for social good or social welfare.There will certainly be yakuza who take advantage of the crisis [...]
In Tokyo, Komatsu-gumi head arrested for extortion; Yamaguchi Kodo-kai Nearing Decimation
Police arrested the head of the Yamaguchi-gumi Kodo-kai-affiliated Komatsu-gumi on January 29 under suspicion of attempted blackmail after he reportedly tried to extort money out of a company executive. Police also raided the organisation’s office. It was another major blow to the Kodo-kai who has seen their numbers cut significantly in the last year and [...]