BI nets 'high-profile' Japanese fugitive; find out what he is wanted for
By Jun Ramirez
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) announced the arrest of a Japanese national wanted by authorities in Tokyo for involvement in an alleged telecommunications fraud that has duped many of his compatriots.
Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said 36-year-old Fujita Toshiya was arrested in Anilao Proper, Mabini, Batangas by the BI’s fugitive search unit (FSU) in coordination with the Batangas Provincial Police Office (BPPO).
Morente described Toshiya as a "high-profile fugitive" who is on Japan’s wanted list. The latter is allegedly a member of an organized syndicate that preyed on many Japanese citizens who lost a lot of money due to its dubious telecom operations.
“He will be deported, placed on our blacklist, and banned from re-entering the Philippines for being an undesirable alien,” Morente said.
According to Japanese authorities, Toshiya and his cohorts operated their racket from the Philippines and defrauded their unsuspecting victims in Japan through the use of telecommunications.
Reports state that his group had more than 1,300 confirmed fraud cases resulting to damages of an estimated 2 billion Japanese Yen.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department has filed cases against the subject in Japan. A warrant was issued by the Tokyo Summary Court for his arrest.
The foreigner is being temporarily held at the BPPO.