A Canadian drug trafficker involved in the botched P9.6 billion illegal drug operation in Batangas will have to spend almost his entire life in a Philippine jail before being deported, according to the Bureau of Immigration.
Thomas Gordon O’Quinn, who has been described as a “major player” in the smuggling of 1.4 tons of methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu) seized in a checkpoint in Alitagtag, Batangas last month, will face local charges against him before he can be deported, Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco said.
“He has to stand trial and face his crimes locally before we deport him so he can again stand trial for the crimes he committed abroad,” said Tansingco.
He said the coordination of local law enforcement agencies and the BI, which resulted in O’Quinn’s arrest, disrupted the operations of a major criminal gang that is attempting to conduct drug operations in the Philippines.
O’Quinn, who uses the alias James Martin, 38-years-old, was arrested on May 16 in Bgy. Maitim II in Tagaytay City.
He is considered a big-time drug lord, and is wanted by Interpol for cases filed against him in the US.
He was reportedly charged before a US court with conspiracy to distribute and possess, with intent to distribute, the illegal substance called methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA) and five kilograms or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine.
An additional charge of conspiracy to export from the US five kilograms of cocaine was also filed against him in the same court.