An illegal casino was raided on 14 July and 14 people, including employees and customers of the operation, were arrested.
According to the Metropolitan Police Department, nine employees are suspected of allowing customers to gamble on baccarat in a multi-tenant building in Roppongi, Minato-ku, in Tokyo.
Five male customers, aged between 37 and 72, were arrested. The illegal casino did not have any signage and catered to members only, with the shutters opened only after a customer had called ahead. The operators seem to have taken measures to avoid police detection.
The club is said to have continued operations during the emergency declaration in April and May, making at least JPY10 million a month with sales of several hundred million yen over the past 18 months.
Meanwhile in Nagoya city, Aichi, the Aichi Prefectural Police arrested six people relating to an illegal casino where customers were betting on baccarat, including the manager of the store and four male and female customers. Police seized three baccarat tables and cash totaling JPY5.4 million. The prefectural police are conducting an investigation on suspicions the individuals involved have connections to gang activities.
Customers at the Nagoya casino were required to make advance appointments and rigorous measures were taken to avoid detection, such as installing an elevator that could only be stopped from within the store and a metal door that could only be opened from the inside.
Japan has seen frequent discoveries of illegal casino operations, including an internet casino shut down earlier this month in Shinjuku.
