BI nabs one piece of 'Luffy Gang'

On Saturday afternoon, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) reported the arrest of a female Japanese suspected of being a member of the notorious “Luffy” gang, which has been linked to several theft and fraud cases in Japan.

BI Commissioner Atty. Joel Anthony Viado identified the suspect as 33-year-old Natsuki Kimura, who was apprehended on Friday along Ayala Avenue in Makati City by the BI Fugitive Search Unit (BI-FSU).

According to Atty. Viado, Kimura was apprehended on the strength of a warrant issued by the Bureau’s Board of Commissioners in March 2023, ordering her summary deportation to Japan for being an undesirable alien.

The BI chief explained that Kimura is just one of several suspected Luffy gang members apprehended by the BI after the Japanese authorities revealed their presence in the country. Viado stated that Kimura would be flown back to Japan as soon as the necessary clearances and plane tickets for her departure were obtained. Like her co-conspirators in the syndicate, she will be deported, and her name will also be added to the BI blacklist banning her from re-entering the country.

According to BI-FSU chief Rendel Ryan, a year ago, a Tokyo summary court had issued an arrest warrant against Kimura after she was accused of stealing. She was accused of stealing ATM cards with her accomplice by pretending to be police officials and deceiving their victims into handing up their cards and other personal information. Kimura allegedly worked as a telephone operator for the Luffy syndicate for its international scamming operations.

While awaiting her deportation proceedings, Kimura is currently detained at the BI Warden Facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City.