5 More from Philippines-Based Japan Crime Ring Arrested

Fukuoka, April 8 (Jiji Press)--The Fukuoka prefectural police have arrested five more people linked to Philippines-based Japanese crime ring JP Dragon after their transfer to Japan, over suspected scams and thefts.

The suspects, including Miyako Iwamoto, 34, had been detained by Philippine immigration authorities in October 2025 before the arrests made by the southwestern Japan police Tuesday.

According to investigators, the five, then members of JP Dragon, allegedly posed as police officers in December 2022, called an elderly woman in Gifu, central Japan, defrauded her of 1.4 million yen and stole her cash card.

The latest arrests have brought the total number of apprehended members and related people to 14.

Investigators suspect that the group had illicitly obtained about 900 million yen from roughly 250 victims across some 20 prefectures since autumn 2019.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]