In order to strengthen the detection of special fraud cases, the ``Special Fraud Coalition Investigation Team'' was launched on the 1st to carry out investigations across prefectures, with personnel assigned primarily to major cities.
On the 1st, a ``Special Fraud Coalition Investigation Team'' was established to serve as a point of contact for cooperation across prefectures among police forces across the country, and seven prefectural police departments, including the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, Saitama, Chiba, Kanagawa, Aichi, Osaka, and Fukuoka, A dedicated investigative team has been established to investigate the matter in response to requests from police across the country.
At the Metropolitan Police Department, where a dedicated investigative team of approximately 200 people has been established, Superintendent General Sadami Ogata said, ``Special fraud committed over a wide area is difficult for a single prefectural police force to deal with, and police forces across the country must work together more closely than ever before.'' "We need to work together with other authorities to carry out arrests quickly and efficiently."
Upon receiving a request from the police where a crime has occurred, the combined investigation team conducts initial investigations such as checking security cameras and identifying suspects, with the hope of efficiently apprehending the criminal group.
According to the National Police Agency, there were 19,033 cases of special fraud that occurred across the country last year, with losses amounting to over 44.1 billion yen, the highest number in 15 years, and the situation continues to be serious.