Two men have been arrested in Tokyo on suspicion of stealing approximately 34 million yen (about $213k USD)’s worth of Pokémon cards from a transport vehicle while the driver was away. This is one of the many incidents involving Pokémon cards that have recently been occurring across the country, raising concerns that the high-value trading cards are possibly being used for money laundering and other illegal activities.
As reported by TBS newsdig on May 25, the suspects, a 26 and a 27-year-old man, allegedly targeted a van transporting trading cards in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo, in December of last year.
One of them had reportedly been employed at the time by the subcontracted logistics company handling the shipment, and the two are believed to have gained access to operational details not available to the public. This could have helped them target the vehicle’s route and timing as it moved between retail locations.
The theft is said to have occurred during a routine stop. When the driver left the vehicle to enter a store, the suspects unlocked the van and stole the packages containing roughly 300 Pokémon cards. According to the authorities, both individuals have since admitted to the allegations.
Authorities also believe the two sold part of the stolen cards and made around 5 million yen (roughly $34,000 USD) in profit.
The incident is not new or isolated. Across Japan, there has been a noticeable uptick in Pokémon card-related thefts, including smash-and-grab attacks in Osaka and other specialty stores in Southwest Japan. In some prior cases, suspects have reportedly been linked to so-called “dark part-time job” schemes, where individuals are recruited online for theft operations.
Related:
Re-shrink-wrapped Pokémon TCG boxes are now a thing in Japan
