BI deports Japanese ‘Luffy’ gang members

Two Japanese nationals suspected of being members of the “Luffy” gang have been deported to Japan on March 26, 2024. Photo from the Bureau of Immigration (BI).

MANILA, Philippines — Two Japanese nationals suspected to be members of the “Luffy” gang were deported to Japan on Tuesday, according to the Bureau of Immigration (BI).

The duo, identified as Sugano Kazushi and Shimoeda Saito by the BI, were deported for being “undesirable aliens” after the Japanese government labeled them as fugitives from justice.

READ: Who is ‘Luffy’ behind string of robberies? PH gov’t still awaits Japanese confirmation 

Kazushi and Saito have been hiding in the Philippines since 2019, the BI said in a statement following their deportation.

Two Japanese nationals suspected of being members of the “Luffy” gang have been deported to Japan on March 26, 2024. Photo from the Bureau of Immigration (BI).

“A manhunt was conducted against them and their cohorts after receiving official communication from the Japanese government in February 2023 informing of their criminal status,” the bureau added.

The BI explained that the pair has been working as scam callers for a criminal group which victimizes other Japanese nationals.

They are also said to be the subject of an arrest warrant issued by the Tokyo Summary Court for being part of a telecom fraud group.

Two Japanese nationals suspected of being members of the “Luffy” gang have been deported to Japan on March 26, 2024. Photo from the Bureau of Immigration (BI).

“The BI likewise has reason to believe that both may be part of the infamous Luffy group, which allegedly committed a string of violent crimes in Japan,” the bureau continued.

READ: DOJ to expedite deportation of alleged robbery ringleader ‘Luffy’, three others to Japan 

The Luffy gang, named after a famous anime character, has gained notoriety in Japan for various scams and robberies.

In February, four other Japanese nationals were deported to Japan after being arrested in late 2019 on suspicion of involvement in fraud and the Luffy gang.

This includes the gang’s alleged mastermind, Yuki Watanabe.

The gang reportedly operated remotely, with its members, including Watanabe, being jailed in an Immigration detention facility in the Philippines.

Despite this, the gang managed to recruit accomplices via social media and communicate with their members through an encrypted messaging app.