Crimes committed by tokuryū, loosely connected anonymous groups that primarily operate through social media, have become a serious social issue in Japan.
They are often linked to special fraud schemes, social media-based scams and violent robberies carried out by individuals lured into illicit part-time jobs, or yami baito.
Police have made capturing the ringleaders a top priority but are struggling in their investigations, largely due to the criminals' use of highly encrypted communication apps.
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