Police arrested on Thursday night, May 16, a Canadian tagged as the principal suspect in the alleged smuggling of around 1.4 tons of shabu which was intercepted in Alitagtag town of Batangas last month.
A police report reaching Camp Crame in Quezon City identified the arrested Canadian as James Toby Martin, who is reportedly included in the wanted list of the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) for conspiracy to possess, export and distribute illegal substances into the United States.
The report stated that Martin was collared at around 9 p.m. on Thursday at the Pag-ibig Unit, Nurture Spa and Wellness, Barangay Maitim II in Tagaytay City.
Seized from him were two several medium and small plastic sachets believed to be containing shabu and several identification cards which allegedly showed that Martin has been using several names.
Among those names were Robert Wagner, Steve Wilson, Ryan Brooke, Steve Mc Donald and Jay Macallan.
The hunt against Martin started when intelligence reports revealed the participation of a foreigner in the smuggling of illegal drugs that were seized in Alitagtag town on April 15.
When the intelligence operatives were able to secure a photo of Martin, the arrested driver of the van transporting shabu on April 15, Michael Ajalon Zarate, confirmed that it was Thomas Gordon O' Quinn.
Zarate, it was learned, is also a Canadian, his identity was disclosed during a background check after he was arrested driving a van loaded with shabu.
A background check later disclosed that O’Quinn is James Toby Martin, who is wanted for alleged illegal drug smuggling in the United States.
The operation, according to the police report, was conducted by intelligence operatives from the National Capital Region Police Office and the Calabarzon regional police, along with agents from the Fugitive Search Unit (FSU) of the Bureau of Immigration.
Martin was already taken to the NCRPO headquarters in Taguig City, along with the items seized from him.