Japan crime group leader in Philippines arrested over theft
MANILA (Kyodo) -- The leader of a Japanese crime syndicate who is based in the Philippines and wanted in Japan for theft has been arrested, immigration authorities said Thursday.
The "JP Dragon" gangster syndicate, led by Ryuji Yoshioka, 55, and operating from bases in Asia, is believed to have been involved in a string of fraud cases and thefts in Japan.
Its members are alleged to have impersonated Japanese authorities in tricking victims, including elderly people, into handing over money.
The arrest of Yoshioka on Wednesday evening in Angeles, a city north of Manila, signals the end of operations for one of the group's bases in Southeast Asia, according to Joel Anthony Viado, chief of the Bureau of Immigration.
The group is also suspected by authorities of being linked to another crime ring that has organized a series of burglaries across Japan since 2021.
A Philippine immigration officer said Yoshioka can speak Tagalog, having been in the Philippines for over a decade, and operates businesses such as online gambling, cockfighting and karaoke bars. He is also wanted by local authorities on suspicion of swindling.
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SoraNews24
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- SoraNews24
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Tokyo Reported
5 hours ago
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Japanese man wanted in '95 Tokyo cafe robbery detained in Philippines
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SoraNews24
6 hours ago
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With arrests of foreigners in Japan increasing, police no longer guarantee in-person translators
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