A: Hey buddy! Guess what?

B: What's up? I don't know, what happened?

A: Turns out a dude named Yoshioka Ryuji, who some say leads the Japanese criminal group JP Dragon, got caught by Philippine cops!

B: Wow, that sounds serious. Where did this happen?

A: In Pampanga on Luzon island, to be precise. The Japanese police are trying to get him deported now.

B: Wait, what's JP Dragon up to exactly?

A: Well, they've been linked to telephone scams targeting folks in Japan and also suspected illegal gambling in the Philippines.

B: Oh, and who is this guy?

A: He's a 55-year-old dude who was already wanted by Japanese police for allegedly stealing bank cards over the phone pretending to be a cop.

B: So the Philippine authorities knew about him already then?

A: Yeah, the Fukuoka prefectural police gave them info on Yoshioka through Japan's National Police Agency.

B: I see. And this JP Dragon group has ties with another Japanese gang called the "Luffy group", right?

A: That's right! The Luffy group is known for organizing robberies in Japan, and they've got connections with some of JP Dragon's members.

B: You know, last November, Tokyo police arrested a senior member of JP Dragon after they caught him in the Philippines.

A: Yeah, I remember! And just this May, seven more of their members were detained by Philippine authorities. Crazy stuff!
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Investigative sources say that a man suspected to be the leader of a Japanese criminal group known as JP Dragon has been detained by Philippine authorities.



Japanese police believe the Philippine-based JP Dragon has been involved in a number of telephone fraud cases targeting potential victims in Japan.



The sources say that Yoshioka Ryuji, who is 55, was detained on Wednesday in the province of Pampanga on Luzon island. Japanese police are planning to ask for his deportation.



Police in Fukuoka Prefecture in western Japan had earlier obtained an arrest warrant for Yoshioka on suspicion of theft for allegedly stealing a bank card by pretending to be a police officer in a phone call.



The Fukuoka prefectural police provided information on Yoshioka to the Philippine authorities via Japan's National Police Agency.



JP Dragon was set up by former members of Japanese crime syndicates. Police believe the group has also been deeply involved in illegal gambling in the Philippines.



Police say some of its members have links with another Japanese criminal group based in the Philippines. The so-called "Luffy group" has orchestrated a series of robberies in Japan.



Last November, Tokyo police arrested a senior member of JP Dragon following his detention in the Philippines.



In May this year, seven members of the group were detained by Philippine authorities.