The Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested the head of a Tokyo-based tour company for allegedly operating illegally modified and improperly maintained Japanese sports cars on guided tours across Tokyo targeting inbound tourists.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department’s Traffic Enforcement Division announced on January 22nd that it had arrested Danilo Gomes da Rocha (34), a Brazilian national and representative director of “Hoguruma,” a tour company based in Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo. Rocha was arrested upon suspicion of violating the Road Traffic Act. In addition to Rocha’s arrest, the company itself has also been referred to prosecutors. According to the allegations, the tour business has been operating illegally modified Japanese sports cars during guided tours. Though little information has been released at the moment, some of the illegal modifications included modified mufflers.
The arrest stems from an incident on the evening of November 21st last year in Koto Ward, Tokyo, when Japanese police stopped two sports cars, a blue Nissan GT-R and a white Nissan Skyline that were found to belong to the touring business. Rocha allegedly instructed contracted drivers to operate these illegally modified vehicles for guided tours. Tours were held across Tokyo and included locations such as Tokyo Tower and Daikoku Parking Area on the Shuto Expressway.
It was also revealed that since 2023, the tour company had been generating ¥200 million in annual revenue, or about $1.3 million at the current exchange rate.
Gomes has so far denied the allegations, claiming that he was unaware the vehicles were improperly maintained.
More commonly known under the social media pseudonym “Gaijin Tuned,” Rocha gathered close to 300,000 followers on his Instagram platform, where he regularly shared pictures and videos of his modified Japanese sports cars, promoting a lifestyle inspired by a popular car and action movie franchise. In one Instagram post, Rocha wrote “they said we are dangerous. We just call it passion,” hinting at possible unsafe driving practices.
This arrest comes at a time when Japanese police have been intensifying crackdowns on modified cars, with more frequent inspections having been held at Daikoku Parking Area over the past year.
What To Know About Criminal Cases In Japan
The news has been heavily covered and televised by major Japanese news outlets such as Sankei Shimbun, Asahi Shimbun and TBS News, which point at the gravity of the situation. In Japan, foreigners are subject to local laws, and individuals who violate laws may be arrested, imprisoned, or deported. If arrested in Japan even for a minor offense, suspects are held in detention facilities without bail for up to twenty days. After indictment, the conviction rate in Japan is over 99 percent.
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