Uncommon Pokémon playing cards are getting used to finance organized crime

Abstract

The previous head of a criminal offense syndicate stated his group used Pokémon playing cards to launder cash.
The group used superior steel detectors to search out foil playing cards in packs.
Pokémon lately launched an app with digital buying and selling playing cards, Pokémon TCG Pocket, and it simply received its first main replace.

Through the years, some Pokémon cards have skyrocketed in worth, and it appears some felony teams in Japan have taken discover of them.

Talking to Shunkan Gendai Online, the previous head of a Japanese crime syndicate tells them that his group was utilizing Pokémon playing cards to launder stolen cash aboard (by way of IGN, translated by Automaton).

The previous head of the crime syndicate defined that, since Pokémon playing cards are so small, they’re simple to purchase, stowaway and transport aboard. However how do these teams discover and procure priceless Pokémon playing cards?

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Costly Pokémon playing cards usually have a shiny foil on them to indicate the actual fact they’re uncommon or priceless. So, the crime syndicate would purchase many packs in bulk and use a complicated steel detector to select up the foil on any playing cards from exterior the packaging. They even used scales to detect the slightest variations in weight between card packs.

These strategies let the crime syndicate resell packs they did not open for face worth and take uncommon playing cards they discovered and promote them individually at very excessive costs. It is unsurprising to see a criminal offense syndicate do that, contemplating the exorbitant prices some uncommon Pokémon playing cards are going for these days.

Maybe it is a good factor Pokémon is shifting to the digital aspect of issues with the Pokémon TCG Pocket app, which launched in October. The cell sport lets customers accumulate and battle digital Pokémon buying and selling playing cards, and the sport is making heaps of money for the Pokémon Firm. It lately launched its first important replace, Legendary Island, which provides 86 new playing cards to the sport plus new missions and rewards.