Dramatic moment Aussie arrested at airport
Australian Federal Police have arrested the alleged mastermind behind one of Australia’s biggest heroin hauls, with the Sydney man facing a maximum sentence of life imprisonment if found guilty.
Guy Habkouk, 35, was detained by Australian Federal Police at Sydney International Airport on Saturday morning, for orchestrating the alleged import of 347.9kg of heroin in December 2020 -- one of the largest in Australian history. The drugs have an estimated street value of more than $1m.
The Sydney man was living in Turkiye before being picked up by local police in January.
Police will allege the Sydney man had extensive links to transnational organised crime groups, which helped facilitate this importation. At the time authorities believe he was living in Thailand.
He has been charged with importing a commercial quantity of border controlled drugs contrary to section 307.1 of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth), an offence which carries the maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
He will appear before the Parramatta Local Court on Sunday morning.
AFP Commander Transnational Operations Richard Chin said the man allegedly had “extensive links” to transnational organised crime groups.
“He played a significant orchestrating role in terms of this importation, which was a very large amount of heroin,” Commander Chin said.
“I think that this arrest will have a significant impact across that organised crime community.”
The drugs were allegedly concealed inside two construction mixers imported from Kuala Lumpur before being delivered to a business in Sydney’s north west.
Another man, understood to be the man’s brother, was arrested and faced court for the importation last September.
