Chiba Prefectural Police have arrested two men who are suspected of drugging and raping nearly one dozen women, reports TBS News.
According to the Narashino Police Station, the suspects are Ryota Takahashi and Ryotaro Tanno, both aged 29.
On the night of September 4,Takahashi and Tanno allegedly worked together to lace a drink consumed by a woman, aged in her 20s, with a sleeping powder at an izakaya restaurant.
After taking her to a residence in Funabashi City, they are alleged to have further plied her with alcohol before sexually assaulting her while she was passed out between 12:15 a.m. and 4:10 a.m. the next day.
Upon his arrest on suspicion of confinement, abduction for sexual assault and quasi-coerced intercourse, Takahashi admitted to the allegations. However, Tanno refrained from commenting. “At this point, I have nothing to say until I speak to my lawyer,†he said.
Takahashi and Tanno, both of no known occupation, were classmates in middle school. In carrying out the crime, Takahashi lured the woman out after meeting her via a matchmaking app. Meanwhile, Takahashi waited at the Funabashi residence.
In early October, police arrested the pair over the alleged rape of another woman. In that case, Takahashi was accused of assisting Tanno.
During that course of the investigation, the incident involving the other woman emerged. That woman was unaware of the crime since the suspects later took her home while she was still passed out.
Based on records left on the matchmaking app and other evidence, police believe that the suspects carried out the same crime on more than 10 women.
