Current Manhunt for Mostafa Baluch - *FOUND in the boot of a Mercedes in a container

[Kurve]

Against the advice of police, 33-year-old Mostafa Baluch from Sydney’s northern beaches was granted bail on Friday, despite facing a lengthy spell in jail if convicted of the conspiracy to import 900kg of cocaine.

The New South Wales police minister David Elliott said police involved in the case were “devastated” and he was furious Baluch had been granted bail.

“This guy was (allegedly) part of an international racket with levels of drugs we have never seen before,” Elliot said.

Baluch was arrested in June and charged with being part of a conspiracy to import more than 900kg of cocaine and was in custody until he was granted bail after putting up a $4m property as surety.

It was a condition of his bail that he wear an electronic monitor but on Monday night the ankle bracelet was cut off, police say, and found ditched by the side of a road on the northern beaches.

Police are investigating whether Baluch may have left NSW on a private jet that night.

Elliott said he had spoken to police commissioner Mick Fuller about the difficulties in locating Baluch.

“This will be a tough job for the NSW police,” he said.

The Australian Federal Police and its international law enforcement partners are also involved.

Police fear accused Sydney drug trafficker may have left country on private jet

Manhunt widens for Mostafa Baluch, who is charged over an alleged plot to import cocaine but disappeared after being granted bail

www.theguardian.com

 

[Kwality]

Has this guy left the country ?

Police think alleged drug smuggler is hiding on east coast as search focuses on new part of Sydney

Mostafa Baluch enjoyed barbecues with family and friends in Western Sydney only days before cutting off his electronic ankle monitoring bracelet, sources reveal. Police believe the 33-year-old is still in the country and hiding on the east coast.

www.abc.net.au

'Police seized a black Range Rover with Queensland number plates after it was captured on CCTV driving through the M4 tunnel near Croydon towards Sydney's CBD only hours after Mostafa Baluch fled his Bayview home late on Monday.

Images show two men sitting in the front seat of the car. Police believe the 33-year-old wanted man may have been hiding in the back seat.'


Just what happens to the family property claimed to worth $4mil will be interesting - if this is as calculated as it first appeared, I'd be surprised if it is not mortgaged to the hilt.

 

[jason_recliner]

Has this guy left the country ?

I doubt it.

 

[Kurve]

They think he's on the east coast now, I hope they throw the book at him when they catch up with him for costing us so much time and money.

Police think alleged drug smuggler is hiding on east coast as search focuses on new part of Sydney

Mostafa Baluch enjoyed barbecues with family and friends in Western Sydney only days before cutting off his electronic ankle monitoring bracelet, sources reveal. Police believe the 33-year-old is still in the country and hiding on the east coast.

www.abc.net.au

 

[Kwality]

Man arrested over cocaine bust is 'co-conspirator' of fugitive Mostafa Baluch, police allege

Police link a man arrested over large quantities of cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine brought in by air cargo to alleged drug smuggler Mostafa Baluch, who is being sought by police.

www.abc.net.au

'Police allege Mr Schwartz was part of a syndicate and told other members he had access to an Australian Border Force member who could provide information on the status of the cargo.
Superintendent Parsons said this was fictitious, alleging Mr Schwartz was instead using commercial tracking platforms to monitor the drugs coming in from overseas.

Police searched Mr Schwartz's home yesterday, where they discovered encrypted mobile phones, which they allege he used under a false name to track 62 consignments.'


Those trusty encrypted mobile phones ... again

 

[daniologist]

I just saw an article headlined "Mostafa Baluch spotted on M4" but now I can't find it anywhere.

 

[PetterdHoisted]

you get bail, you get bail, you get bail!

*Oprah gif*

 

[Kwality]

'Early last year NSW Police began investigating an alleged international organised crime syndicate involved in the importation of drugs across Australia, North America and South America.

A tip-off from the NSW Police led to the US Navy seizing 870kg of cocaine off the Colombian coast and the United States Coast Guard seizing a further 900kg in a second ship off Ecuador.

Police allege the conspirators planned to supply 3000kg of cocaine – including the 1770kg that was seized off South America — and Mr Baluch was the sole financier of the 900kg shipment seized off Ecuador.'

NoCookies | The Australian

www.theaustralian.com.au

'NSW Police on Friday provided an update on the case, detailing two properties in Sydney’s west were raided on Thursday.
“As part of ongoing inquiries, detectives attached to Strike Force Jillabenan executed two search warrants at Potts Hill and Yagoona from 9.45pm yesterday.

“Police seized more than $250,000 cash, about 200 grams of cocaine, 485 grams of an unknown substance, mobile phones, an electronic money counter and other items.”

All items seized will undergo further forensic examination.'

 

[sprockets]

Wish I was rich enough to need an electronic money counter. It'd be fair to say the majority of these would be owned by criminals and perhaps police should be monitoring their sales.

 

[Hojuman]

Hiding in the boot of a Merc inside a shipping container on the back of a truck Qld / NSW border.

 

[jason_recliner]

Hiding in the boot of a Merc inside a shipping container on the back of a truck Qld / NSW border.

Bwahahahahaa!!! Great work, detectives!

 

[Sqotty from office works]

Hope they lose the 4 million dollar bond.
Would crack me up to see his family out on the street with no 4wd w***er machines.

 

[rank and file]

Bwahahahahaa!!! Great work, detectives!

Cop knocked on the container and he knocked back,leading to his discovery.

 

[Kurve]

Captured fugitive Mostafa Baluch arrives back in Sydney in shackles

NSW's most wanted man, found hiding on the back of a truck after 16 days on the run, is back in Sydney, flown from Queensland on a police light aircraft.

www.abc.net.au

 

[FrankGrimes]

You wonder if the container was locked weather they would have checked.. pretty stupid mistake really..
But did read they checked other trucks so might have had some inside info.

 

[Kwality]

Hope they lose the 4 million dollar bond.
Would crack me up to see his family out on the street with no 4wd w***er machines.

Its his folks place ... bloody kids.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Captured fugitive Mostafa Baluch arrives back in Sydney in shackles

NSW's most wanted man, found hiding on the back of a truck after 16 days on the run, is back in Sydney, flown from Queensland on a police light aircraft.

www.abc.net.au

No more bail for you!

Should be an independent investigation into how someone caught with 900kg of coke can get bail in the 1st place.

 

[Kwality]

No more bail for you!

Should be an independent investigation into how someone caught with 900kg of coke can get bail in the 1st place.

So much for the ankle bracelet ... no more !

 

[Kwality]

Jovanco Kitanovski, 46, has been charged over his alleged role in the escape and is accused of driving the truck in which Mr Baluch was found.
Mr Kitanovski on Wednesday appeared in the NSW Supreme Court where he applied to be released on bail.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/breaking-news/new-details-of-mostafa-baluch-manhunt-revealed-in-court/news-story/001a0f3749d05a8dfed14d21d75fd002

If found guilty, he is facing up to 10 years in jail after being charged with attempting to obstruct or pervert the course of justice.

Police allowed Mr Kitanovski to leave the border checkpoint after Mr Baluch was discovered, the court heard.
However, he was later stopped by NSW Police at Tucabia, near Grafton, where he was arrested and charged.

His Sydney-based trucking company Kit Bros was also raided by police.

Crown prosecutor Lester Fernandez alleged Mr Kitanovski was involved in “every step of the planning” of Mr Baluch’s attempted escape.

Bail application decision later today.

Mr Fernandez told the court that Mr Kitanovski’s alleged role stretched back to several days before Mr Baluch was arrested at the border.

“The applicant was communicating with a WhatsApp group specifically about Mr Baluch and the police being close to finding Mr Baluch,” Mr Fernandez said.

“Thereafter every step in relation to the collections and the loading and the transportation of Mr Baluch was individually done by the applicant who was intricately involved in planning and he had an extremely high role in the enterprise to take Mr Baluch out of the jurisdiction.”

 

[Sqotty from office works]

Its his folks place ... bloody kids.

If his parents did a reasonable job they wouldn't be in this situation.

 

[Kwality]

If his parents did a reasonable job they wouldn't be in this situation.

Not the first parents to try to do their best for errant kids, a-holes or not.