TOKYO (Kyodo) -- A relationship between an alleged Japanese sex worker scouting group and a Tokyo police officer was revealed following his arrest for passing on confidential information.

Daisuke Jimbo, a 43-year-old officer in the Tokyo Metropolitan Police's organized crime division, was served a new arrest warrant on Wednesday for allegedly informing the group, known as Natural, about monitoring cameras installed at locations connected to them, according to an investigative source.

Jimbo was initially arrested on Nov. 12 on suspicion of providing images taken by police-installed cameras to the crime group in late April and early May through a smartphone app developed for communication among its members.

Jimbo had been involved in the investigation into Natural, believed to be one of the loosely organized criminal groups known as "tokuryu" that have recently emerged in Japan, since 2023. He was temporarily transferred to other duties in April.

Police found some 9 million yen ($58,000) in cash at a location linked to Jimbo in a search conducted in August and have been investigating its possible connection as payment for information he provided.

Based in Tokyo's Kabukicho red light district, Natural generates income by scouting women to be employed in sex work and related businesses. It is believed to have earned roughly 4.5 billion yen in revenue in 2022.

The group enforces rules banning illicit drug use and fraud to avoid police scrutiny. Three Natural members were arrested last month for allegedly confining and extorting a fellow member in June as punishment for breaching a rule.