Ex-cop allegedly helped Comanchero bikies and AN0M kingpins escape to Turkey
The Comanchero bikie gang allegedly relied on a former Turkish cop to help make the country a safe haven... until it wasn’t.
NSW
Don't miss out on the headlines from NSW. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A former police officer was allegedly the key into Turkey for some of Australia’s most high-profile crime figures, helping them laundering money and secure citizenship.
The Comanchero bikie gang allegedly relied on former Turkish cop Mustafa Selman to assist in making the Middle Eastern country a safe haven for some of its key leaders, before he was arrested with Australian bikies Hakan Ayik, Baris Tukel, Erkan Dogan and Hakan Arif in November 2023.
Turkish prosecutors revealed Selman is accused of “actively facilitating and covering up illicit transactions that enabled Australian crime syndicate Comanchero fugitives to gain Turkish citizenship”.
The details naming Selman as allegedly assisting the Comanchero emerged in local news reports in the Turkish media last week.
Selman is one of 66 people being prosecuted as part of a major crackdown on organised crime, particularly the Comanchero, by Turkish authorities.
Prosecutors in Turkey reportedly allege he facilitated real estate deals for leaders of the bikie gang.
In one instance, Selman allegedly arranged for accused Swedish-born kingpin Maximilian Rivkin to be granted citizenship despite being wanted by the FBI.
Following that, Rivkin’s home address and phone number were allegedly registered in Selman’s name.
At the time of the widespread arrests, which included a dramatic Hollywood-style video of the take-down by Turkish police, the country’s Minister of the Interior, Ali Yerlikaya, said it would be alleged Turkey was being used by bikies to deliver “drugs … to Australia”.
“Gang leaders, along with Turkish citizen organisation managers and members, as well as foreign national organisation members, come to our country and continue their criminal activities, and try to deliver the drugs they procured from South America to Australia, the Netherlands and Hong Kong via South Korea and South Africa, and commit them on a global scale,” Minister Yerlikaya said at the time.
“It has been determined that they are trying to launder the income they obtained from crimes in our country.”
An estimated AUD$250 million in assets was seized during the raid, with vision showing a shirtless Ayik – better known as “Big Hux” – in handcuffs as police stand over him.
Ayik had been wanted for several years before his arrest by both the FBI and AFP, over their lengthy investigation into Trojan Horse app AN0M – called Operation Ironside in Australia.
Ayik was allegedly one of the key figures involved in the ultimately compromised AN0M platform resulting in him being the first name on a grand jury indictment in the United States District Court.
He remains in custody in Turkey, while in Australia dozens of individuals charged over their alleged involvement in AN0M are currently awaiting the outcomes of legal challenges into the constitutional validity of the warrants issued by the AFP and state police forces.
Originally published as Ex-cop allegedly helped Comanchero bikies and AN0M kingpins escape to Turkey
What is the date? How can I vote in 2025 federal election?
With the end of the three-year federal government term rapidly approaching, here’s everything you need to know about casting your vote.
Read more
76 calls in 12 weeks: how cops are reacting to repugnant new crime
New figures show how many times police have responded to calls since this dangerous behaviour became a crime. And experts say it shows the message is getting through to people.
Read more