Police: Claiming To Be A Fish Investor, Japanese Fugitives Lived At Teacher's House

JAKARTA - The fugitive from the Japanese police, Mitsuhiro Taniguchi, has been secured in the Central Lampung area. The police said that while he was there he stayed at a teacher's house.

"The MT subject lives in a resident's place on behalf of Masduki, a teacher in Sridadi Village," said Head of the Public Relations Division of the National Police Inspector General Dedi Prasetyo to reporters, Wednesday, June 8.

Based on the data, the fugitive from the COVID-19 subsidy fund fraud case has lived there since May 4, 2022. However, Mitsuhiro did not stay and only stayed a few times.

"Not staying, sometimes once a week, sometimes every two weeks," he said.

Mitsuhiro was able to stay temporarily at Masduki's house because they already knew each other.

The two got to know each other when they met in Padang, West Sumatra. At that time, Mitsuhiro claimed to be an investor.

"Know this person when MASDUKI was selling fish in Padang, and MT claimed to be a fish investor," said Dedi.

Mitsuhiro Taniguchi has been detained in the Kalirejo area, Central Lampung. His whereabouts were discovered after an inspection of the data of crossings in and out of Indonesia was carried out.

The fugitive from the Japanese police was secured by a joint team from Bandar Lampung Immigration, Kalirejo Police, and Central Lampung Police, on Tuesday, June 7, at around 22.30 WIB.

Mitsuhiro Taniguchi is a fugitive for the COVID-19 subsidy fund fraud case. He reportedly disappeared by running away 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.