Rohan Arnold extradited Sydney from Serbia to face drug charges

A Canberra businessman has been extradited from Serbia over his alleged involvement in a $500million international cocaine-smuggling ring.

Rohan Arnold, a 43-year-old stockyards’ director and steel importer was led through Sydney Airport by detectives following his arrival on Wednesday morning.

Arnold was one of three Australians arrested at gunpoint at a five-star hotel in Belgrade in January.

 

A Canberra businessman (pictured, centre) has been extradited from Serbia over his alleged involvement in a $500million international cocaine-smuggling ring

Arnold (pictured) was one of three Australians arrested at gunpoint at a five-star hotel in Belgrade in January

Arnold was one of three Australians arrested at gunpoint at a five-star hotel in Belgrade in January

Arnold (pictured, left) was one of three Australians arrested (pictured right is one of the men) at gunpoint at a five-star hotel in Belgrade in January

The men are accused of being part of a syndicate that allegedly tried to bring more than a tonne of cocaine into Sydney via China last year.

Tristan Waters, 34, who ran the now-closed Canberra nightclub Minque, and Murrumbateman local David Campbell, 48, were also locked up.

The Higher Court in Belgrade last month ruled Arnold and Waters ‘met legal conditions’ for extradition to Australia.

AFP Detective Superintendent Stephen Dametto said the sheer volume of the alleged importation suggested the culprits were high up in the supply chain.

Rohan Arnold (pictured), a 43-year-old stockyards' director and steel importer was led through Sydney Airport by detectives following his arrival on Wednesday morning

Rohan Arnold (pictured), a 43-year-old stockyards’ director and steel importer was led through Sydney Airport by detectives following his arrival on Wednesday morning

The men are accused of being part of a syndicate that allegedly tried to bring more than a tonne of cocaine into Sydney via China last year (pictured are the men being arrested in Belgrade)

The men are accused of being part of a syndicate that allegedly tried to bring more than a tonne of cocaine into Sydney via China last year (pictured are the men being arrested in Belgrade)

AFP Detective Superintendent Stephen Dametto said the sheer volume of the alleged importation suggested the culprits were high up in the supply chain (pictured is the seized cocaine)

AFP Detective Superintendent Stephen Dametto said the sheer volume of the alleged importation suggested the culprits were high up in the supply chain (pictured is the seized cocaine)

‘The simple fact is a 1.28-tonne cocaine shipment can only be financed and facilitated by a significant, well-resourced organised crime group,’ he told reporters in Sydney on Wednesday.

‘We believe it has links not just in Australia but around the world.’

Arnold is due to appear in Central Local Court on Wednesday via audio-visual link on five charges including importing and attempting to import a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug.

When asked if ‘businessman’ fitted the profile of a drug kingpin, Detective Superintendent Dametto said they ‘come in all different shapes and sizes’.

When asked if 'businessman' fitted the profile of a drug kingpin, Detective Superintendent Dametto said they 'come in all different shapes and sizes' (pictured is Rohan Arnold)

When asked if ‘businessman’ fitted the profile of a drug kingpin, Detective Superintendent Dametto said they ‘come in all different shapes and sizes’ (pictured is Rohan Arnold)

It is alleged Arnold used his links to overseas businesses to consign the shipment, however, there is no allegation of those companies being involved (pictured is cash seized by police)

It is alleged Arnold used his links to overseas businesses to consign the shipment, however, there is no allegation of those companies being involved (pictured is cash seized by police)

It is alleged Arnold used his links to overseas businesses to consign the shipment, however, there is no allegation of those companies being involved.

Detective Superintendent Dametto refused to go into detail about the other men, citing ongoing legal proceedings.

Waters, referred to in Serbian reports as a ‘big narco-boss’, moved to Dubai in recent years and reportedly owns hotels and assets worth more than $1 billion.

The 1,280kg cocaine haul, seized in April 2017, was the second largest in Australian history and was hidden inside pre-fabricated steel in a Chinese container ship docked in Sydney.

Detectives allegedly found 2,576 individual blocks of cocaine with an estimated street value up to $500 million.

Detectives allegedly found 2,576 individual blocks of cocaine with an estimated street value up to $500 million (pictured is the scene of the arrest in Serbia)

Detectives allegedly found 2,576 individual blocks of cocaine with an estimated street value up to $500 million (pictured is the scene of the arrest in Serbia)

Following Arnold's arrest (pictured) in January, SELX director Brendan Abbey said he thought his business partner had travelled to China

Following Arnold’s arrest (pictured) in January, SELX director Brendan Abbey said he thought his business partner had travelled to China

Arnold is one of nine shareholders in the South Eastern Livestock Exchange (SELX) in NSW, which also runs the Western Victorian Livestock Exchange (WVLX).

Following his arrest in January, SELX director Brendan Abbey said he thought his business partner had travelled to China.

‘He has an interest in some steel factories in China and we thought he was going there,’ Mr Abbey told AAP.

‘It was a regular thing, [he’d go] every month or six weeks.’

Mr Abbey’s wife, Yass Valley mayor Rowena Abbey, also a business associate of Arnold, told the local paper she was ‘shocked and angry’ over Arnold’s arrest.

A bag filled with foreign currency banknotes is shown in the video, with local police saying the arrests were made during a 'money handover' (pictured is the Metropol Palace hotel)

A bag filled with foreign currency banknotes is shown in the video, with local police saying the arrests were made during a ‘money handover’ (pictured is the Metropol Palace hotel)

The Abbeys, directors with Arnold of Yass Industrial Park, were seeking to build a Yass Valley Way service station, and were partners in Mortlake’s WVLX, according to the Yass Tribune.

Dramatic footage from the January arrests showed officers with guns drawn swooping on the lobby of the luxury Metropol Palace hotel in Belgrade.

The three Australians and a Lebanese man, aged in his 40s, can be seen handcuffed and lying on the floor next to a table where moments before they were enjoying drinks.

A bag filled with foreign currency banknotes is shown in the video, with local police saying the arrests were made during a ‘money handover’.

Dramatic footage from the January arrests showed officers with guns drawn swooping on the lobby of the luxury Metropol Palace hotel (pictured) in Belgrade

Dramatic footage from the January arrests showed officers with guns drawn swooping on the lobby of the luxury Metropol Palace hotel (pictured) in Belgrade

 

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