PHILIPPINES (TR) – Authorities here on Saturday announced the apprehension of yet another male Japanese national who is suspected member of the so-called “Luffy” fraud ring.
The arrest of Kensuke Kudo, 28, is at least the fifth made by authorities in Manila this year, reports TBS News (Aug. 3). On August 1, Philippine authorities apprehended Kudo in Taguig City, situated on the eastern shores of Metro Manila.
The Luffy group is named after the popular manga for boys. It specializes in tokushu sagi, which is a type of fraud carried out on the telephone by a caller impersonating an authority figure or a victim’s relative.
Police had been searching for Hoshino after an arrest warrant was issued for him in January. He is suspected of working with members of the ring to swindle elderly persons.
An investigation by immigration authorities also revealed that Kudo’s passport expired last October, making him an illegal resident.
On January 20, authorities announced the apprehension of Yuhei Tsukuda, 28, in Pampanga province. He is also a suspected member of Luffy. Later that month, they arrested 43-year-old Takashi Sasaki, another suspected Luffy member. In February, authorities apprehended Eiji Shigematsu. Two months later, authorities arrested Takuya Hoshino.
Kudo is expected to be deported to Japan at some point in the future.
