a day ago
Transnational crime group 'boss' nabbed in Pampanga
Authorities have arrested a high-profile Japanese fugitive and alleged leader of a notorious transnational crime syndicate operating in Asia during an enforcement operation in Angeles City, Pampanga, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said.
The BI said Japanese national Ryuji Yoshioka, 54, was apprehended by operatives of the agency's Fugitive Search Unit (FSU) last Wednesday, June 4.
Yoshioka is allegedly the head of the JP Dragon Syndicate, a criminal organization based in Japan and supposedly behind large-scale theft and telecom fraud schemes with operational bases in Southeast Asia.
The group is allegedly associated with a network of illicit activities that have victimized numerous individuals and laundered millions in criminal proceeds.
The BI said based on official communications from the Japanese government, Yoshioka is the subject of an active warrant of arrest for theft under the Japanese Penal Code and has been declared a fugitive from justice.
'This individual is a key player in an international crime group. His arrest sends a clear message that the Philippines is not a safe refuge for fugitives,' said BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado.
Based on BI records, Yoshioka last arrived in the Philippines in 2022 and has not left since.
Following his arrest, the Japanese big boss underwent usual booking procedures and has been turned over to the BI's warden facility where he will be held until deportation.
'Yoshioka's arrest is a testament to our commitment to uphold justice and protect the Philippines from becoming a haven for international fugitives. We will not allow criminals fleeing justice in their own countries to hide within our borders,' Viado said. —VAL, GMA Integrated News
