Police Get Their Own Stalkers

[Mulboyne]

Yomiuri: Gangs boosting efforts to spy on cops
The Yamaguchi-gumi, the nation's largest crime syndicate, and its affiliated gangs have stepped up their efforts to gather intelligence on police, such as noting license plate numbers of investigation vehicles, according to the police. The move has made the police more watchful of the syndicate, as the intelligence gathering may reduce the risk of gang members being caught by police at a time when the syndicate is expanding its influence by incorporating other crime groups and likely will face a greater risk of being apprehended. In late November, when the Osaka prefectural police searched a Yamaguchi-gumi affiliate office in Osaka over a suspected violation of the Copyright Law related to pirated DVDs, they discovered data headed "unmarked patrol cars" on a personal computer they seized. The data included license plate numbers of dozens of investigation vehicles, the types of vehicle and where they had been spotted. The police checked the numbers and found they matched those currently in use...A senior National Police Agency official warns that the Yamaguchi-gumi has activated its counter-police measures across the country. Similar activity has already been undertaken by Kodo-kai, a Nagoya-based branch of the Yamaguchi-gumi organized crime group, from which the current Yamaguchi-gumi head, who assumed the post in July 2005 and is currently serving a prison sentence, originated...more...