BI deports South Korean wanted for illegal drug trading

The Bureau of Immigration has deported a South Korean wanted by authorities in Seoul for trading illegal drugs.

Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente identified the fugitive as Oh Joohwan, 30, who was apprehended on November 17 upon his arrival at the Mactan International Airport from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

According to Morente, the South Korean was immediately secluded upon his arrival after the BI learned from the airport database that he is wanted in South Korea for violating his country’s control of narcotics law.

Escorted by prosecutors and anti-drug investigators from South Korea’s Ministry of Justice, Oh was sent back to his home country on November 22.

“We were supposed to book him on the first available return flight to Korea after he was intercepted but officials from the Korean embassy requested that his departure be deferred pending the arrival of his escorts,” BI port operations division chief Marc Red Mariñas said.

Mariñas said that it was on October 31 that the Interpol issued a red notice alerting Philippine authorities about Oh's criminal record and on the possibility that he might enter the country.

"The police attaché of the Korean Consulate in Cebu had warned BI-Mactan airport officials led by immigration head supervisor Nelson Gallentes and travel control and enforcement chief Ricardo Buhay that Oh might harm his co-passengers if he were allowed to board his flight alone, considering that he is a fugitive wanted for selling psychotropic drugs," the BI said.

South Korean authorities alleged that sometime between June and August this year Oh and his accomplice posted an Internet advertisement to sell a prohibited drug called philopon to interested buyers.

During this period, the suspects allegedly sold undetermined amounts of the philopon drug to several buyers over 314 times and from which they earned profit amounting to more than 207.2 million Korean won (roughly P9.6M). —LBG, GMA News