Fish illegally caught by yakuza sold at Nagasaki sashimi eatery
A restaurant in the city of Nagasaki sold discount sashimi rice bowls using fish caught by an organized crime group's illegal poaching operation, local police said Tuesday. The eatery in front of Nagasaki Station, which recently shut down, was popular among tourists and workers for ...
Nearly 5,000 bodies have been found in more than 3,000 unmarked graves since Mexico deployed the army to fight drug trafficking in 2006, the government said Friday in its first comprehensive report on the carnage. Mexico has been hit by a wave of violence since ...
Malaysia makes record bust of ketamine and cocaine worth $161 million
Malaysian authorities on Friday said they had seized nearly 3.7 tons of ketamine and cocaine worth about $161 million in the country's biggest drugs haul to date. Malaysia is a key transit point for illegal narcotics, with authorities seizing record amounts of crystal methamphetamine in ...
Man linked to Yamaguchi-gumi shot in Kobe in apparent yakuza feud
A man affiliated with the Yamaguchi-gumi, Japan's largest crime syndicate, was shot Wednesday in Kobe, apparently in connection with a feud among factions of the group in the city and surrounding areas, police said. The man, believed to be around 50 years old, was seriously ...
Young Central Americans seeking asylum in U.S. easy prey for MS13 gang
Young Central American asylum-seekers fleeing violence and poverty in their home countries are increasingly falling prey to the notorious MS13 gang in the United States, authorities say. The youngsters, most of them from Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador, are proving to be easy targets for ...
Five things to know about the scandal enveloping top Japanese comedy agency Yoshimoto Kogyo
From one channel to the next, almost every comedy and variety show on Japanese TV features personalities from entertainment powerhouse Yoshimoto Kogyo Co. But recently the company has been rocked by a scandal involving high-profile comedians that is no laughing matter. What began last month ...
Triads attack anti-government protesters in Hong Kong following another demonstration
Hong Kong's opposition Democratic Party is investigating attacks by suspected triad gangsters on train passengers on Sunday, after a night of violence opened new fronts in the political crisis now deepening across the city. Screams rang out when men, clad in white T-shirts and some ...
Japanese comedians turn to yakuza-linked 'underground performances' due to unstable income
Despite mounting criticism over recently revealed "underground performances" for organized crime by some comedians, quitting such work appears difficult, as they are important sources of income for the entertainers, many of whom are apparently not earning enough money from activities through their talent agencies, ...
As Japan prepares to open casinos, gangs won't be afraid to test security
Japan is currently creating a legal framework to operate casinos via a system of integrated resorts, but concerns persist that they'll be prime targets for organized crime once they're finally up and running by 2024. "The yakuza have changed over the years, but one thing ...
Guardian Angels Japan finding less to do in Kitakyushu, one-time city of yakuza 'endless conflict'
Up until five years ago, the city of Kitakyushu had for decades grappled with so many shootings and violent attacks by organized crime groups that it was known as a city of shura (never-ending conflict). But as Japan intensified its crackdown on organized crime, the ...
Talent agency suspends 11 comedians for accepting money from alleged organized crime group
A major talent agency on Monday suspended 11 of its comedians for conducting "underground business" and attending a party hosted by a purported organized crime group without consulting with the company. Yoshimoto Kogyo Co. said it has determined that the comedians, including Hiroyuki Miyasako, 49, ...
Italian 'king of cocaine' mob boss Morabito flees Uruguayan prison
Italian mafia boss Rocco Morabito has fled prison in the Uruguayan capital Montevideo, where he was awaiting extradition to Italy, the interior ministry announced Monday. Morabito and three other inmates "escaped through a hole in the roof of the building" late Sunday and robbed the ...
