BI deports 8 Japanese fugitives

BI deports 8 Japanese fugitives | Daily Tribune

After deportation orders were released, the Bureau of Immigration deported eight more Japanese fugitives connected to the infamous “Luffy” robbery group on Tuesday morning.

The fugitives boarded a Japan Airlines flight JL746 bound for Narita, Japan, at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1.

The eight Japanese deportees are Harada Shota, born on 18 November 1994; Nakamura Naoto, born on 23 March 1996; Endo Seijiro, born on 26 August 1988; Kobayashi Mikio, born on 18 August 1990; Hashimoto Kodai, born on 7 May 1994; Otani Takuya, born on 14 November 1995; Mayuzumi Kaito, born on 17 February 1998; and Sakiyama Kenta, born on 27 December 1994. They were arrested on 11 January 2020, in Famy, Laguna.

The group, named after its alleged leader, a man known as “Luffy,” has been linked to a series of violent robberies and other crimes across Japan.

Twenty Japanese Police officers escorted the eight during their deportation, while the Bureau of Immigration, the PNP-AVSEGROUP, and the MIAA Airport Police assisted them until they boarded their flight.

On 7 February 2023, immigration deported two Japanese who were members of the Luffy Group, identified as Yuki Watanabe, believed to be the leader of the gang, and Kojima, or Saito Tomonobu.

Yuki Watanabe and Saito Tomonobu were arrested in Parañaque City on 17 March 2021, while Imamura Kiyoto was arrested on 26 December 2019, when he tried to board a Cebu Pacific flight at NAIA Terminal 3 bound for Macau, while Fujita Toshiya was arrested on 21 February 2021, in Mabini, Batangas.

The deportation was carried out in cooperation with the Philippine government, which has been working with Japan to crack down on transnational crime.

The “Luffy” robbery group gained notoriety for its brazen and violent tactics. The group is believed to have carried out a series of robberies targeting jewelry stores, convenience stores, and other businesses.

The group’s members were known for their use of violence and intimidation, often threatening their victims with weapons.

According to BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco, the deportation of another eight Japanese members of the “Luffy” robbery group is a significant step in the Philippines’ immigration efforts to combat transnational crime and protect its citizens from violent criminals.