Manila, April 17 -- Philippine authorities on Thursday arrested two high-value Japanese fugitives allegedly linked to transnational crime syndicates in coordinated operations in Metro Manila.

The first operation was conducted in Mandaluyong City, resulting in the arrest of Sato Taiki, who is classified as an undesirable alien and is wanted in Japan for theft under the Japanese Penal Code.

The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) on Friday said Taiki is a member of the "Luffy Group," which is tied to over 50 robberies across 14 Japanese prefectures from 2021 to 2023, including a Tokyo heist that killed a 90-year-old victim.

Several senior members of the group were deported from the Philippines in early 2023.

In a follow...