From prison in the Philippines...Japanese criminal group "Oreore fraud" continues

In an immigration room, a detained Japanese person makes a phone call to commit fraud.

"Excuse me. We have seized a list with your name, phone number, address, etc., so I am calling you to file a damage report..."

　This is a recording of a so-called "cash card fraud" phone call where a person impersonates a police officer and steals a card.

[Related article: A group of 15 fraudsters, an unprecedented "line of return"]

　This audio data was sent from the Philippines to Ms. A, a woman in her twenties who lives in Tokyo. The sender was Mr. A's partner, Mr. B (20s), who is currently detained in an immigration detention center in the Philippines.

In November 2019, in Manila, the Philippines, a group of Japanese Oreore fraud (special fraud) was exposed, and 36 people were detained by the Philippine Immigration Bureau.

"My boyfriend was also one of the 36. I trusted him when he said, 'I'm going to the Philippines for a resale job,' but I didn't know he was doing this...

18 out of 36 people were transferred to Japan by 9 people in February 2020 and are undergoing trial. However, the remaining 18 people, including him, are still left behind at the Philippine immigration office.

　Due to the influence of the new corona, there were no flights in March. But now he has a flight to Manila, and he has had two PCR tests, both negative. Why aren't they sent to Japan forever?"

　Mr. A received an even more heartrending SOS from Mr. B complaining about the deplorable situation inside the immigration office.

"A self-proclaimed gang member named 'S', who was detained in a separate case from his group, is in charge of the Japanese in immigration.

　S said to the members of the fraud group, ``You did something wrong anyway, so make money here, too'', and had 10 of the 18 members help with mere me frauds and cash card fraud. It is."

On February 24, 2020, nine members of a fraud group from the Philippines were transferred to Narita Airport (Photo/Asahi Shimbun)

　Unbelievably, they were forced to make an international phone call from the Philippine immigration office, claiming it was an "It's me" scam. It is said that this fraudulent phone call from the Philippines has already caused new damage in Japan.

"S controls Japanese people with violence, such as pushing lit cigarettes when the results of the fraud are bad. My boyfriend has managed to escape now, but I want him to join the fraud again." , I'm worried about when I'll be threatened."

　Why can such criminal acts be carried out openly within the immigration office?

"The use of mobile phones and computers is permitted in the immigration office. If you give money to the guards or the warden, you can do whatever you want. increase.

　There are Japanese people who have been placed in solitary confinement due to their rebellious attitude towards S.」

　If you go against leader S, you will not be able to use the toilet or shower. In May 2020, Ms. A approached the Metropolitan Police Department for advice in an attempt to save her lover, Mr. B.

"I went to consult him, 'I want him to be transferred to Japan as soon as possible.'

　Is there any problem that Japanese people have been detained in the Philippines for 10 months, and that there are new fraud victims as a result? We asked lawyer Kensuke Onuki, who is familiar with criminal cases.

"Under international law, states are not obliged to extradite criminals to other countries. Therefore, whether or not international investigation cooperation such as extradition of criminals is possible depends on the efforts of Japanese investigative agencies seeking extradition.

　Half of the detained Japanese have already been transferred, and it is clear that the Philippines has a cooperative stance. In this case, there is a high possibility that new damage will be caused in Japan by leaving the fraudulent group detained locally, and the lack of effort by the Japanese investigative agency is a serious problem."

　When the magazine sent a letter of inquiry to the Metropolitan Police Department, the response was "I will refrain from answering because it is about an individual investigation". In order not to increase the number of fraud victims, the Metropolitan Police Department needs to take immediate action.

(Weekly Flash September 22, 2020 issue)