In line with the continuing anti-illegal drug campaign of the government, the National Bureau of Investigation on Friday said operatives of NBI-Task Force Against Illegal Drugs, in partnership with the NBI-Western Mindanao Regional Office, Philippine National Police, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Armed Forces of the Philippines, arrested one of the most wanted fugitives in the country, Thursday morning in Zamboanga City.
NBI Director Dante Gierran identified the suspect as Jun No, a Korean-American businessman who is wanted for drug trafficking involving the sale of a party drug ecstasy after he escaped from the hospital following his surgery for appendectomy last April 15, 2017.
On April 15, No escaped from his guards at the East Avenue Medical Center in Quezon City, where he was confined after undergoing an operation for acute appendicitis.
The police said SPO2 Michael Macarubbo of the PNP-Drug Enforcement Group went out to eat breakfast while Intelligence Officer 2 Ernie Eugenio of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency fell asleep.
Acting on the Bureau of Immigration’s lookout bulletin order issued by the Department of Justice against the suspect NO, alias “Jazz” and “Justine”, and under strict orders from Gierran, the NBI-TFAID, headed by lawyer Ross Jonathan V. Galicia, mobilized its operatives to track down the suspect.
Investigations disclosed that from April 18 to April 22, 2017, No hid in different condo units and motels in Manila, Parañaque and Makati City to avoid the authorities, then decided to go to Cebu via Philippines Airlines.
The suspect stayed in Cebu City from April 29 to May 26, 2017 where he has reportedly hopped from one hotel to another to avoid detection.
While residing in the area, he spent most of his time with drug junkies and escort girls whom he used to hang out with.
The NBI-TFAID chased No in Cebu but the suspect managed to elude arrest on several occasions. Nevertheless, some of his personal belongings were recovered from his hotel in Cebu City, which provided an indication of the suspect’s plan to leave the country using the back door going to Malaysia.
Knowing that the authorities are closing in on him, No left Cebu City and managed to enter Zamboanga City using a fake identification card and passport bearing the name Choi Minsoo.
On May 31, 2017, TFAID operatives proceeded to Zamboanga City to track down the suspect. The following day, TFAID operatives were able to catch the suspect inside a computer shop in Barangay Tetuan, Zamboanga City while checking the money coming from his family. The suspect did not resist arrest.
A criminal case for violation of Article 172 in relation to Article 171 of the Revised Penal Code as well as violation of the Anti-Alias Law and R.A. 8239 (Passport Law) will be filed against the suspect.
No is facing drug trading charges before the Pasay City Regional Trial Court for selling 140 tablets of ecstasy at the parking lot of an Indian restaurant in the Mall of Asia Complex on April 5. The NBI said the illegal drugs has an estimated value of P420,000.