Fight Against Drug Crime in Osaka’s High-Crime Areas and the Origins of the Matori Lifestyle

The drug scene has evolved significantly from the post-war popularity of Hiropon (a type of methamphetamine) to modern times with stimulants, dangerous drugs that cleverly circumvent legal restrictions, and the spread of cannabis due to legalization in other countries. Ryoji Takahama, 77, a former narcotics officer of the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare, known as a “matri,” has been active on the front lines of drug crime investigations from the Showa to the Heisei eras. Takahama provides a detailed account of the drug situation and the realities of drug transactions during that time. 

 

The starting point was the area of Naniwa and Nishinari, which was notorious for frequent drug crimes in the past.

I became a narcotics officer on July 17, 1972, and worked for a total of 36 years until my retirement on March 31, 2008. The foundation of my career as a narcotics officer was undeniably the “Kinki Regional Narcotics Control Office” where I was first assigned.

 

At that time, the areas with the highest frequency of drug crimes in Osaka were Naniwa Ward and the neighboring Nishinari Ward. I frequently visited these areas to gather information and used the collected data to crack down on criminal activities. This early experience significantly shaped my career as a narcotics officer. Without the battle against drug crimes in Naniwa and Nishinari, my career would likely have taken a very different path.

 

By the time I was reassigned to the Kinki Regional Narcotics Control Office for the second time (from 1999 to 2004), the streets around Nishinari Police Station were lined with methamphetamine dealers standing at intervals of just a few dozen meters. These dealers sold meth to customers who came to them. If a dealer was arrested on the spot, the other dealers in the area would immediately flee, but they would soon return to resume their business. It was a constant cat-and-mouse game between the police and the dealers, with new dealers taking the place of those arrested and continuing their illegal activities almost immediately. 

 

I stayed in “doya” (cheap lodgings) for several days to conduct surveillance.

At that time, the rooms in Nishinari’s “doya” (cheap lodgings) were very basic, typically featuring just a 3-tatami mat space with a single futon. The cost was incredibly low compared to other accommodations, only 500 yen per night. During my long career as a narcotics officer, I stayed in such a “doya” just once. It’s likely that I am among the few officers who have had this experience.

I received information that three members of a wide-area organized crime group were dividing methamphetamine for distribution in an apartment room near the west side of Tobita Hondori. Conveniently, there was a “doya” (cheap lodging) right at the entrance of the narrow alley leading to the apartment. Following my superior’s orders, I secretly rented a room there and began monitoring the alley around the clock. The room was a small, three-tatami mat space, lacking even a basic air conditioner, with only a clutter of folded futons in one corner, making for a rather bleak environment.

 

 

Finally, we secured the scene!

The area around the gang’s office was so labyrinthine that it was extremely difficult to hide and monitor from the corners of alleys or behind utility poles. The information provided by informants was our sole resource. However, this time, having the “doya” as a surveillance base was a stroke of luck. The stakeout lasted several days, and when I occasionally returned to the office to report, I was often told to stay away due to my unkempt appearance from not having bathed for days. My colleagues were quite averse to being near me. 

 

One day, the moment finally arrived. I witnessed the three gang members carrying large bags into the alley leading to the apartment. I immediately used a nearby public phone to contact the office and request a raid. We then swiftly stormed the apartment.

 

Upon entering the room, one of the three noticed the disturbance and, without hesitation, threw the remaining divided methamphetamine out of an open window into the narrow gap between the apartment and the neighboring house. However, since the amount was not substantial, it didn’t pose a significant problem.

 

On the table at the scene, 48 neatly arranged bags of methamphetamine, each referred to as “pake,” totaling 81 grams, were laid out. Next to them were approximately 50 grams of ephedrine, the precursor to methamphetamine. Also found were a loaded handgun and a machine used for sealing the bags. It was a textbook example of a professional drug distribution setup.

 

In the next section, “Drug Enforcement Officer’s Blunder at Dealer and Addict Hangout Revealed by Gun Incident,” Takahama discusses a bitter experience he had while investigating in the Nishinari area.

 

In Part 2, “Drug Enforcement Officer’s Blunder at Dealer and Addict Hangout Revealed by Gun Incident”