Yakuza leader arrested for stealing more than $1500 worth of Pokémon cards

The yakuza is a traditional form of organised crime in Japan, with groups occupying a leading position in the country's criminal world. Pokémon is a popular media brand owned by Nintendo. What could possibly combine these two things in one news story (apart from the fact that they come from Japan?). Well, you're about to find out.

Here's What We Know

Tokyo police reported that they had arrested Keita Saito, a lieutenant in the Takinogawa family. The family is part of Japan's second largest yakuza syndicate, known as the Sumiyoshi-kai.

According to police, Saito broke into a house in Ogano in December 2022. The man stole 29 items, 25 of which were Pokémon cards. The stolen goods were valued at 252,000 yen, which is about 1,637 USD.

The theft of Pokémon cards is not an uncommon occurrence. Such incidents occur not only in Japan but also around the world. Pokémon have long been a very popular phenomenon, so items with them are very valuable among collectors, and some see this as an opportunity to get rich illegally, because you can get $200 for one Pokémon card, but a Yakuza member will probably only get a prison sentence.

Source: comicbook

Illustration: collectinsure