MANILA: Philippine authorities have arrested a suspected senior figure of a Japanese telecom fraud and theft syndicate that has targeted elderly people in recent years, local media reported on Saturday.
According to local media Inquirer.net, the 57-year-old Japanese suspect, believed to be the syndicate's second-in-command, was arrested by police and immigration personnel in Nueva Ecija province, north of Manila.
Philippine police said the suspect has been regarded as the top leader of the group, known as JP Dragon, since its former head was arrested in the Philippines in June last year. The group has been linked to theft and telecom fraud activities across Asia.
In recent years, Philippine police have stepped up their crackdown on telecom fraud. JP Dragon is also linked to the "Luffy" crime group, which carried out fraud and robberies across Japan between 2021 and 2023 and whose key members were also arrested in the Philippines. Enditem
