BI deports two alleged ‘Luffy” gang members

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Tuesday announced that two Japanese nationals, who are alleged members of the “Luffy” criminal group and who allegedly committed a string of crimes in Japan, had been deported back to Japan.

According to the BI, Sugano Kazushi and Shimoeda Saito were deported to Tokyo Tuesday morning for being undesirable aliens.

The BI said the foreigners were the subject of an arrest warrant issued by the Tokyo Summary Court for involvement in a large-scale telecom fraud group.

They have been hiding in the country since 2019.

“Their deportation is a significant achievement in our efforts to disrupt criminal networks victimizing unsuspecting individuals,” Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco said in a statement.

“This successful deportation is a testament to the collaborative partnership and good relationship between the Philippines and Japan. We will not allow our country to be used as a hiding ground for criminals and syndicates,” he added.

The criminal gang led by an alias “Luffy” made news in early 2023 after Japan formally asked the Philippine government to deport four of its citizens suspected of directing a series of robberies in Japan while detained in the Philippines. — DVM, GMA Integrated News