Japanese in 'Luffy' crime ring nabbed in Pampanga

The authorities have arrested in Angeles, Pampanga a Japanese who is allegedly a member of the Luffy scam ring victimizing senior citizens in Japan.

According to John Consulta's report on "24 Oras," the 29-year-old suspect was arrested while interviewing women applying to become female entertainers in Japan.

Luffy is a Japanese syndicate group operating in the Philippines.

It is involved in widespread fraud, theft, and other telecommunications-based scams.

Rendel Sy, chief of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) search unit, said the operatives located the suspect with the help of a confidential informant.

Authorities also recovered a fake barangay ID from the Japanese man, which has his photo but with a different name.

“Itong Luffy group syndicate ay sinasabing nagtayo ng opisina dito sa atin kung saan nangiiscam sila ng mga senior citizen sa Japan. kinukuha nila yung mga ATMs ng mga biktima nila," Sy said.

"Sa isang insidente ay may namatay na isang biktima nila sa japan,” he added.

(The Luffy group syndicate was reported to have built its office in the Philippines and scammed senior citizens in Japan. They also stole the ATM cards of their victims. There were also reports that one of their victims in Japan died.)

The suspect has yet to give a statement. He is at a BI detention facility in Camp Bagong Diwa.

“Inaalam namin kung may local cases silang kinasasangkutan. Kung ma-clear natin, maaari na natin siyang ipadeport pabalik ng Japan,” Sy said.

(We are still investigating if he is involved in local cases. If he is clear, we can deport him to Japan.) –Mariel Celine Serquina/NB, GMA Integrated News