Longtime drug fugitive detained at PHL

Michael Rodriques was on the lam for 19 years after he was convicted of a narcotics offense in Canada.

That briefly changed this week, when the 54-year-old was detained at Philadelphia International Airport after arriving on a flight from the United Kingdom. But for reasons that were unclear Tuesday, he was expected to head back home without being extradited to face charges.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials said Rodriques had been wanted since a warrant was issued for his arrest on Dec. 23, 1996.

He had been convicted of narcotics possession and importation charges in Windsor, Canada, and received a seven-year officials said. But Rodriques fled before he was jailed.

Rodriques, who holds dual citizenship in Jamaica and the United Kingdom, fled to Jamaica to avoid incarceration, according to CBP. He remained a fugitive for nearly two decades.

On Monday, he arrived at Philadelphia's airport on his flight at about 1:30 p.m.

CBP officials initially said he was taken into custody and expected to turned over to Canadian authorities. But Tuesday night, a spokesman for the agency said Rodriques was likely to be sent back to the United Kingdom.

It wasn't immediately clear whether there was procedural issue or whether Canada chose not to pursue extradition.