MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has arrested a Japanese fugitive wanted by Tokyo authorities for his involvement in telecommunications fraud.

Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said Sunday that the 48-year-old Eiji Shigematsu was apprehended on February 7 along Ayala Avenue, Bel Air Village, Makati City, by operatives from the BI’s fugitive search unit (FSU).

Viado explained that the arrest was carried out based on a mission order he issued after receiving information from the Japanese government regarding Shigematsu’s presence in the Philippines.

“We will deport him and he will be blacklisted and banned from reentering the country,” said Viado.

BI-FSU chief Rendel Ryan Sy stated that the Kajiki summary court in Japan issued an arrest warrant for Shigematsu in July last year after he was charged with theft in violation of the Japanese penal code.

Shigematsu and his accomplices were allegedly involved in a voice phishing scam that defrauded multiple victims in Japan.

Authorities said the suspects posed as police officers to extort money from their targets.

Although not linked to the infamous “Luffy” gang, investigators believe Shigematsu and his group ran a similar operation on a smaller scale.

Shigematsu was taken to the BI warden facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City, where he will remain while awaiting deportation.

A check of his travel records showed he has been overstaying in the country since his last arrival on October 18, 2019.