More foreigners are being hunted down in connection with smuggling of around 1.4 tons of shabu which was intercepted in Batangas last month, Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos, Jr. said on Monday, May 20.

Abalos issued the statement as he presented Canadian James Toby Martin who was arrested in Tagaytay City over his alleged link to the foiled attempt to smuggle and distribute more than a ton of shabu in Metro Manila.

“He is not the only foreigner the way I see things. There are still others,” said Abalos in a press briefing at Camp Crame in Quezon City where Martin was presented to the media.

Aside from Martin who is in the Interpol Red Notice for alleged drug smuggling in the United States, also arrested was Michael Ajalon Zarate, the driver of the intercepted van. He is also a Canadian citizen.

The identity of Martin was reportedly confirmed by Zarate who told the police that he knows him as Thomas Gordon O’Quinn. 

“He is one of the major characters. He is not a minor player but he is a major player,” said Abalos, referring to the intercepted 1.4 tons of shabu.

Abalos said charges for the violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 as well as Article 178 of the Revised Penal Code for the use of fictitious names were filed against the arrested suspect.

However, he said charges against O’ Quinn in relation to the Alitagtag operation have yet to be filed as they want to ensure that an air-tight case will be referred to the court.

For his part, national police chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil said they have already established the links of both Zarate and Martin to illegal drugs smuggling in the country, adding that they are not discounting the possibility that they are part of a larger drug syndicate.

“We are continuously investigating. We have strong pieces of evidence linking these  all these people but again it will be presented in court and the court will decide if all our information is correct,” said Marbil.