Raptor Squad charge man with 55 drug and firearm offences following manhunt spanning four countries
Monday, 02 December 2024 08:48:31 AM
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Raptor Squad officers, with the assistance of the Australian Federal Police and Victoria Police, have charged a man with over 50 serious drug and firearm offences following a manhunt spanning four countries.
In October 2022, detectives from the State Crime Command’s Raptor Squad established Strike Force Caste to investigate the supply and distribution of prohibited drugs, namely cocaine, by a Sydney-based syndicate.
Three men have been previously charged and remain before the courts.
In January 2023, NSW Police engaged the assistance of the Australian Federal Police to track down a 32-year-old man in Bangkok, Thailand, after it was established he travelled there on a falsely obtained passport.
Thai authorities located and arrested the man on Wednesday 8 November 2023, where he was then tried and incarcerated for almost 11 months on immigration offences.
In October 2024, the man received a royal pardon and was directed to return to Australia.
The man was deported from Thailand on a flight bound for Brisbane, transiting through Manila in the Philippines.
During transit in Manila, the man allegedly attempted to evade Australian law enforcement by booking a flight to Istanbul, Turkiye via Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
The AFP’s international network activated and alerted AFP officers in Manila, Abu Dhabi and Ankara, who were able to warn local authorities of the man’s pending arrival in their jurisdictions.
The man was subsequently denied entry into Istanbul and redirected to Abu Dhabi, where he arrived on Thursday 7 November 2024 and unsuccessfully attempted to book and board a flight to Lebanon. He was subsequently directed to return to Manila.
When the man arrived back in Manila on Friday 8 November 2024, he was met by the Philippines Bureau of Immigration on arrival and provided the opportunity to voluntarily return to Australia.
He purchased a return ticket via Taiwan in a final attempt to evade Australian law enforcement; however, Taiwanese authorities were notified, and he was refused entry onto the plane.
The man instead opted to remain in the transit area of Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Manila.
The Philippines Bureau of Immigration Commissioner issued an Exclusion Order on Monday 11 November 2024, preventing the man from entering the Philippines, and directed him to return to Australia.
The man was deported to Australia on Friday 29 November 2024 and arrived in Melbourne where he was subsequently arrested by Victoria Police VIPER taskforce.
About 9.40am on Saturday 30 November 2024, Raptor Squad officers took custody of the man at Melbourne Custody Centre and conveyed him to Albury Police Station where he was charged with 55 drug and firearm offences.
The offences related to a search warrant in Kensington conducted on Thursday 15 December 2022, during which police located and seized 11 firearms, ammunition, ballistic vests, nearly 4kg of GBL, 282 grams of MDMA and 409g of methylamphetamine.
The man was refused bail and appeared in Parramatta Local Court yesterday (Sunday 1 December 2024) where he was formally refused bail to appear in Downing Centre Local Court tomorrow (Tuesday 3 December 2024).
Commander of State Crime Command’s Raptor Squad, Detective Superintendent Andrew Koutsoufis, said the collaboration between Australian law enforcement agencies ensured that this criminal could not evade justice, regardless of borders.
“Our concerted efforts with the Australian Federal Police and Victoria Police ensure that individuals involved in serious drug and firearm offences will be apprehended, no matter where they attempt to hide,” Det Supt Koutsoufis said.
"The message is clear: there are no places beyond the grasp of the Raptor Squad when it comes to safeguarding our communities from the scourge of illegal drugs and firearms."
AFP Assistant Commissioner David McLean said the AFP had a global reach across 33 countries and 38 cities.
“The AFP maintains strong relationships with international law enforcement partners to serve and protect the Australian community,” AC McLean said.
“We thank our members in Manila, Bangkok, Ankara and Abu Dhabi for their work.”