At the request of the WA Police Force a 43-year-old man has been extradited from Croatia to Perth in relation to drug charges from 2010.
The man was arrested by Croatian authorities on 1 August 2022 at Dubrovnik airport pursuant to an Interpol Red Notice. He had failed to appear in Perth Magistrates Court on 27 October 2010.
It is believed the man travelled overseas by boat sometime in early October 2010. Prior to travelling overseas, he had been appearing before the court in WA on one count of possession of a prohibited drug with intent to sell or supply.
Commander Gordon Fairman said that information obtained by investigators suggest that he spent time in a number of different countries since he left Australia, including Indonesia, Netherlands, England, Spain and Greece.
"We also believe that he changed his name a number of times throughout the years, and obtained a United Kingdom passport in another name," Commander Fairman said.
Accompanied by WA Police Force Detectives, he arrived back in Perth on the evening on Friday 16 December, and will appear in Perth Magistrates Court on Saturday 17 December 2022.
Commander Fairman said that the arrest of the man is proof that state and international borders are no deterrent for WA Police to apprehend outstanding serious offenders.
"For 12 years we have continued the investigation into this man's disappearance, and despite the measures he took to hide and change his identity, we never gave up the search for him.
"We also acknowledge the work of our national and international counterparts, including Australian Federal Police in Belgrade and in UAE, as their assistance has led to WA Police finally being able to return him to Australia to answer his charges in court."
