MANILA - The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Wednesday arrested 36 Japanese nationals, including 2 wanted criminals, for their alleged involvement in a telecommunications scam.

The BI carried out an operation against 33-year-old Yusuke Kiya and 20-year-old Nobuki Oshita after Japanese officials said the 2 men have standing arrest warrants for theft in Japan.

The suspects were arrested inside a hotel in Makati City, along with 34 other Japanese nationals who allegedly took part in voice phishing operations that has defrauded some 1,393 people in Japan.

Voice phishing is a scam that uses phone calls to gain access to victims' personal or private information.

"Upon verification with the Japanese police, it was found out that all 36 are members of an organized crime group involved in telecom fraud and extortion," Immigration Fugitive Search Unit head Bobby Raquepo said in a statement.

The group stole about 2 billion yen from other Japanese nationals through voice phishing schemes, he said.

The arrested foreigners were brought to the BI Detention Facility in Bicutan, Taguig while awaiting their deportation.