National Police Agency in Japan Increases Reward for Crime Tips

Illegal gambling operators across the globe disrupt the operations of the legal sector, avoid paying taxes and in some cases are even related to groups tied to criminal activities. As such, governments and gambling regulators constantly monitor the online and retail sectors, fighting against illegal gambling. Japan, a country that seeks to reduce the number of illegal gambling operators and prevent other crimes, recently announced it will increase the rewards for anonymous crime reporting.

Earlier this week, the National Police Agency (NPA) in Japan, confirmed that it will increase the reward that anonymous crime tippers can receive. The current reward for anonymous reporting of crimes is set at 100,000 yen ($680). This sum is expected to change, starting from October 1, 2023, skyrocketing to the staggering 1 million yen ($6,800).

The reward would be applicable to people who report crimes and result in the discontinuation of illegal organizations. Crimes that can be reported via phone or online include illegal gambling, drugs, human trafficking, as well as prostitution, among others. Ultimately, the NPA anticipates detaining culprits involved in the so-called “dark jobs,” that involve different crimes, including robberies, thefts and even child prostitution. In addition to individuals, the law enforcement authorities will fight against mobile crime groups. Such groups are often gathered through social media and are involved in a variety of criminal activities.

Crime Tips Can be Submitted via Phone and Online

The tips can be submitted via an online platform in any language or by phone. People who want to receive more information or would like to submit a crime tip can call a toll-free service number in Japanese. A private organization will be responsible for the collection of the information which will then be reported to the NPA.

The increased reward for reporting crime tips comes after more than 27,000 tips were filed for the fiscal year 2022. The reported crime tips led to arrests in 45 different cases. Overall, some 530,000 yen ($3,600) was paid to informants for 11 different cases. A majority of the reported cases were related to drugs, among other crimes.