BI nabs high-profile Japanese fugitive wanted for telecom fraud

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) announced the arrest of a Japanese national wanted by authorities in Tokyo for involvement in telecommunications fraud that victimized many of his compatriots in Japan.

Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente identified the fugitive as 36-year-old Fujita Toshiya who was arrested last Feb. 7 in Bgy. Anilao Proper, Mabini, Batangas by the BI’s fugitive search unit (FSU) in coordination with the Batangas Provincial Police Office-Provincial Intelligence Unit, Police Regional Office 4A, and Mabini Municipal Police Station.

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Morente described Toshiya as a high profile fugitive who is on Japan’s wanted list, and is allegedly a member of an organized syndicate that preyed on many Japanese citizens who lost a lot of money due to its telecom fraud activities.

“He will be deported, placed in our blacklist, and banned from re-entering the Philippines for being an undesirable alien,” Morente said.

BI FSU Chief Bobby Raquepo stated that Toshiya’s continued presence in the country poses a risk to public interest due to his being a fugitive from justice.

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BI nabs high-profile Japanese fugitive wanted for telecom fraud

According to Japanese authorities which sought the alien’s arrest and deportation, 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 a total of more than 1,300 confirmed fraud cases resulting to damages amounting to 2 Billion Japanese Yen.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department has reportedly filed cases against the subject in Japan. A warrant was issued by the Tokyo the Summary Court, ordering his arrest.

The Japanese is temporarily held at the Batangas PPO.

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Last week, BI officers from the Clark International Airport intercepted two female illegal recruitment victims bound for the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

In a report to Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente, BI Travel Control Enforcement Unit (TCEU) Officers Kaypee Enebrad, Kristian Balanquit, Clarissa Bartolome, and Marianne Mallari detailed the interception of the two who attempted to board an Emirates Airlines flight to Dubai.

According to the report, the two victims presented themselves as legitimate overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) with valid overseas employment certificates (OEC) and employment contracts.