MANILA— The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has arrested a 57-year-old Japanese national allegedly connected to the transnational criminal syndicate JPDragon during an operation in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija, on October 31.

The arrested individual, identified as Yamamoto Yoshitama, is wanted in Japan for fraud, theft and attempted theft under an arrest warrant issued by the Fukuoka Summary Court on December 27, 2022.

The BI said the arrest was carried out pursuant to Warrant of Deportation Order No. 2023-160, dated July 18, 2023, as part of the government’s intensified immigration law enforcement efforts under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

BI Fugitive Search Unit Chief Rendell Ryan D. Sy said Yamamoto was reportedly among the leaders of JPDragon, a Japan-based criminal syndicate composed largely of former yakuza members and believed to operate mainly in Metro Manila.

The group has been linked to telephone fraud schemes targeting elderly Japanese citizens. Its members allegedly pose as police officers to trick victims into handing over their ATM cards and banking details.

Japanese investigators suspect the syndicate has defrauded around 250 victims of approximately ¥900 million since 2019.

Yamamoto will remain at the BI Warden’s Facility while deportation proceedings are being pursued.

BI Commissioner Joel Anthony M. Viado warned foreign fugitives against using the Philippines as a refuge to evade prosecution in their home countries.

“The Philippines is not, and will never be, a safe haven for foreign fugitives. Those who believe they can evade justice in their own countries by hiding here are mistaken. We will track them down, arrest them, and ensure they face the consequences of violating our laws. Our cooperation with foreign law enforcement agencies remains vital in keeping our borders secure and preventing the Philippines from being used as a refuge for international criminals,” Viado said.

The bureau said it would continue its intensified operations against foreign fugitives and undesirable aliens in coordination with local and international law enforcement agencies.