36 Japanese nationals linked to telco scam arrested

MANILA, Philippines – Thirty-six Japanese nationals involved in a telecommunications scam were arrested in Makati City, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) reported Friday.

BI Commissioner Jaime Morente said the Japanese nationals were arrested in a hotel in Makati City last Wednesday after receiving information from Japanese authorities that a certain Nobuki Oshita and Yusuke Kiya have standing arrest warrants in their home country for theft.

Fugitive Search Unit (FSU) head Bobby Raquepo, meanwhile, said that aside from Oshita and Kiya, 34 other Japanese nationals were also arrested during the operation.

BI said the group has reportedly caused collected some 2 billion yen from at least 1,393 Japanese victims.

“Upon verification with the Japanese police, it was found out that all 36 are members of an organized crime group involved in telecom fraud and extortion,” Raquepo said in a statement.

The arrested Japanese nationals were brought to the BI Detention Facility in Bicutan in Taguig City as they await their deportation.

Morente assured the public that the BI will continue hunting, deporting, and blacklisting foreign fugitives in the country, saying that their presence is a risk to public security.

GSG