Michael Puralewski, the newly assigned Drug Enforcement Administration resident agent in-charge of Guam and the Northern Marianas, said he’s been on board since last month, as replacement for resident DEA agent Tony Marquez.
Puralewski and his boss Special Assistant Agent in charge Robin Dinlocker met with Fitial.
“We just met with him,” Puralewski told the media after a press conference yesterday called by U.S. Attorney Alicia Limtiaco.
The new DEA resident agent said they’ve discussed the possibility of reinstating the joint U.S.-CNMI DEA Task Force that has been suspended since 2008.
The governor requested Marquez’s replacement as early as 2009 after some Chinese tourists complained they were humiliated in a pat-down body search that the agent conducted.
The DEA was then acting on a tip that a large contraband of drugs may be smuggled into Saipan through that flight. No drug was found though.
The Chinese tourists complained they felt violated and harassed.
Puralewski described his relationship with the governor as “functional,” saying the task force may be reactivated soon.
“We have a functional relationship. We are working with other law enforcement agencies. It’s just a matter of administration in getting back the people to the task force,” he said.
Some DEA agents are already deployed to Saipan and Puralewski said their number could be increased if there’s a major drug bust operation.
“We have a few DEA but they have access to agents to Guam and Honolulu, depending upon an operation, we can get as many people down here as we need,” he said.
