The wanted former leader of the Comanchero bike gang, Mark Buddle has been deported to Turkey following his arrest over the weekend by police officers in Turkish-occupied Cyprus and may face extradition to Australia.
In a report issued earlier today (Wednesday), ABC News confirmed that Mr Buddle, who had fled Australia in 2016 was being detained by Turkish authorities in Ankara. In August, last year, Mr Buddle was granted a residency permit to stay in the occupied north of the island where a number of Australian fugitives are reported to have found refuge.
The interior minister within the administration of Turkish-occupied Cyprus, Ziya Öztürkler, said in a statement the decision to arrest and deport Mr Buddle was made on Friday, 8 July, because he was deemed to be “inconvenient” to public peace security.
Mr Buddle was reportedly arrested by officers posing as FBI agents two days later, on Sunday, 10 July and was then escorted to Ankara and handed over to Turkish authorities.
According to officials from Turkey’s Ministry of Interior, proceedings were underway to return Mr Buddle to Australia.
New South Wales Police Minister Paul Toole said the case was being handled by Commonwealth authorities.
“We have a very strong message here in NSW that if you do the wrong thing, we will continue to track you down, we’ll trace you and we’ll bring you back into this country,” Mr Toole said.
The Australian Federal Police said it had no comment on the matter when contacted yesterday (Tuesday) by Neos Kosmos.
Mr Buddle assumed leadership of the Comanchero in 2010 after Daux Hohepa Ngakuru left Australia.
Six years later Mr Buddle fled the country after he was sought for questioning following the murder of an Armguard security worker, Gary Allibon. The ABC said Mr Buddle continue to lead the gang while overseas. He was reported to have travelled to Iraq, Lebanon, Greece and Turkey. He was said to have stayed in Dubai from 2016 before moving to Turkish-occupied Cyprus after he was granted residency there in August, last year.
