Law enforcement operatives recently arrested in Angeles, Pampanga, a Japanese national with alleged ties to the “Luffy scam ring,” who were preying on senior citizens in Japan.
The 29-year-old suspect was arrested while interviewing women applying to become female entertainers in Japan.
Luffy, a Japanese syndicate operating in the Philippines, was named after a fictional pirate character from popular Japanese animated series “One Piece.” The criminal organization is involved in widespread fraud, theft, and other telecommunications-based scams.
Authorities located the foreign suspect with the help of a confidential tipster. They recovered a fake barangay ID from the Japanese national, which has his photo but with a different name.
“This Luffy group syndicate is said to have set up an office here where they are scamming senior citizens in Japan. They are taking the ATMs of their victims,” said Rendel Sy, chief of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) search unit.
“In one incident, one of their victims in Japan died,” he added.
The suspect has yet to give a statement as of press time. He is held at BI detention facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City.
Immigration officials said they are investigating if the arrested suspect was also involved in local cases. If not, the Japanese national shall be deported back to Japan.
