A high-profile B.C. gangster has been sentenced to life in prison in the Philippines for his involvement in an international drug-trafficking ring that set up in the Southeast Asian country.
Independent Soldier James Riach, who is part of the Wolf Pack gang alliance, got the news in a Manila courtroom Wednesday, along with his Canadian co-accused Ali Shirazi.
Judge Selma Alaras issued an 11-page ruling, saying both Riach and Shirazi had possessed more than $2.5 million Cdn worth of ecstasy and shabu — a local pill that contains methamphetamine and caffeine.
The Canadians were also ordered to pay a $12,000 fine.
The Philippines National Bureau of Investigation arrested Riach and Shirazi at their rented Manila condo in January 2014. They had been in the country for about three months.
Also arrested at another apartment and charged that day was Riach’s long-time B.C. associate Barry Espadilla. But Espadilla was released 18 months later after an appeals court judge accepted his lawyer’s argument that police lied to get search warrants in the case.
He has since returned to Canada.
Riach had been on bail in the Philippines — even getting married there a couple of years ago — before being taken into custody again this week.
B.C.’s anti-gang Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit got news of the guilty verdict and sentence shortly after it happened, Sgt. Brenda Winpenny said Wednesday.
She said the lengthy sentence should be a warning to other B.C. gangsters who think they can get into the drug trade abroad.
“While we cannot speak to the court decisions in another country, there is no doubt that the life sentence that was handed down is significant and will undoubtedly send a message to people from B.C. and Canada, that drug trafficking in other countries may, if you’re convicted, come with a serious penalty, including imprisonment for life,” Winpenny said. “In the case of Mr. Riach and Mr. Shirazi, we will continue to watch to see if there are further court proceedings or if this is the end.”
Global Affairs Canada official Philip Hannan said he couldn’t comment on whether any consular services have been given to the Canadians because he had not yet had the chance to liaise with “mission staff.”
According to the Canadian government’s website, there is no Offender Transfer Treaty between Canada and the Philippines. When such treaties exist, Canadians imprisoned abroad can apply to serve all or part of their sentence in Canada closer to their families.
Riach’s friend Chris Seymour said that he plans to campaign to get the B.C. man returned to Canada.
“I sure hope that the government will step in now and do something for him. He didn’t run on his bail or anything. This is not right and would never have stood up in any kind of (Canadian) court,” Seymour said Wednesday, noting human rights abuses in the Philippines. “How could this happen to a Canadian citizen? I am totally sick to my stomach over this.”
He suggested Riach might be getting especially harsh treatment because of the extreme positions of Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte, who has encouraged the extrajudicial killings of thousands of suspected drug offenders.
Riach, 36, has a criminal history in Canada. He was convicted in 2010 of possession and careless storage of a loaded .45-calibre semiautomatic Glock pistol found under his mattress in is luxury Yaletown condo.
But he was acquitted of more serious gun charges after an arsenal of weapons was found in the apartment.
Riach was also in a vehicle with Red Scorpion gangster Jonathan Bacon and Hells Angel Larry Amero when it was sprayed by gunfire in Kelowna in August 2011. Bacon was killed and Amero was seriously injured. Two women in the car also sustained injuries.
Three men linked to the United Nations gang are currently on trial in Kelowna for the murder.
