Japanese Fugitive Case Of COVID-19 Fund Fraud Arrested In Lampung

JAKARTA - The National Police said that the fugitive from the Japanese police, Mitsuhiro Taniguchi, had been secured in the Kalirejo area, Central Lampung. His whereabouts were discovered after checking data on crossings in and out of Indonesia.

"The subject of MT has been secured by immigration authorities after the Japanese revoked the passport in question," said Head of the Public Relations Division of the National Police Public Relations Division Kombes Gatot Repli Handoko when confirmed, Wednesday, June 8.

Mitsuhiro Taniguchi was arrested by a joint team from Bandar Lampung Immigration, Kalirejo Police, and Central Lampung Police, on Tuesday, June 7, at around 22.30 WIB.

During the arrest process, Mitsuhiro Taniguchi was said to have not put up any meaningful resistance.

So, said Gatot, the next step, the fugitive case of the COVID-19 subsidy fraud case, was detained by the Immigration Office. Then, it is processed for later submission to the Japanese authorities.

"Submitted to the Directorate of Immigration Supervision and Enforcement for follow-up in accordance with the Immigration Act," said Gatot.

For information, Mitsuhiro Taniguchi is a fugitive for the COVID-19 subsidy fund fraud case. He is said to have lost track of him by fleeing to Indonesia.

Mitsuhiro is called the mastermind of the crime because of the figure who gave orders to the three suspects who had been arrested in the fraud case. They, namely, Rie Taniguchi (45), Daiki (22) and a man whose name has not been disclosed by the police.

The trio received orders from Mitsuhiro to file fake tax returns on behalf of people who had registered with the tax office. Then, they go through the procedure to get the subsidy.