Alleged kingpin Haddad to be extradited

Alleged Sydney underworld figure, Tony Haddad who fled Australia while on trial for drug offences will be returned to NSW to face charges after being tracked down in Turkey.

The 46-year-old landed in Darwin on Friday morning after being arrested and deported by Turkish authorities.

An application to extradite Mr Haddad back to NSW was granted by Northern Territory Local Court Chief Judge Elizabeth Morris on the same day.

Federal police described Mr Haddad as a significant figure with links to Middle Eastern organised crime in Australia dating back to 2011.

He is expected to be held in custody in Darwin until he is handed over to Australia Federal Police for transportation to appear in Parramatta Local Court on 5 December.

Asked by Judge Morris if he had any questions, Mr Haddad replied, "No thanks".

Mr Haddad failed to appear in court in March 2020 to face a charge of importing a commercial quantity of a border-controlled precursor, namely 2.8 tonnes of safrole oil.

The oil could have been used to produce more than two million MDMA tablets, police said.

If convicted, he faces up to 25 years' imprisonment.

His whereabouts were unknown until August 2022, when he was detained at the Turkish border allegedly trying to leave on a false passport.

Investigators suspect Mr Haddad was hiding in Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic - possibly on the south coast of NSW - before he left for Turkey in late June 2022.

The AFP informed Turkish authorities he was potentially hiding in Istanbul.

Mr Haddad was caught at the airport only weeks later. Turkish authorities then independently chose to deport him this week.

"Fugitives who think they can hide from Australian police in another country need to realise they have a problem," Assistant Commissioner Crime Nigel Ryan told reporters on Friday.

"Countries around the world are not going to tolerate being used as criminal safe havens."

Once Mr Haddad is back in NSW, his trial is expected to continue.

Any assistance he received over the past two-and-a-half years is being investigated.

Police say they will lay charges if there is evidence of further criminal activity.

Islamic State recruiter Neil Prakash arrived in Darwin on the same flight. He's to be extradited to Melbourne to be charged with terror offences.

"The AFP will have some more to say in relation to that matter later on today but I can't go any further into that matter right now," Mr Ryan said.