‘Australia’s most wanted bikie’ Angelo Pandeli living freely in Sydney

Hells Angels boss Angelo Pandeli was deported from Dubai last week, but when he arrived in the Harbour City the AFP didn’t arrest him.

A man alleged to be Australia’s most wanted bikie is out in the community on the streets of Sydney after being questioned only briefly by the Australian Federal Police when he landed in the Harbour City, raising questions over why he was not arrested.

The AFP said they questioned Angelo Pandeli, the national president of the Hells Angels bikie gang who is suspected of being a major player in drug trafficking into Australia, after he was deported from Dubai last Thursday before releasing him without charge.

NSW Police were informed of his impending arrival once he was in the air and the AFP claims it now has “coverage” of him.

Pandeli, 53, has been the number one target for the AFP over recent years as he lived abroad in Dubai having left the country in 2018.

Angelo Pandeli was released without charge after he was questioned by the Australian Federal Police. Picture: Matthew Vasilescu

He is now in Sydney living free in the community.

The AFP has openly spoken about him been a target of Operation Gain – set up to target an increasing number of underworld targets living abroad, while continuing to operate their business in Australia.

“So after supposedly working on him for three years they didn't have a brief of evidence in case he came back,’’ said a former NSW senior detective.

“He has allegedly been operating offshore which is squarely the AFP’s domain and then not to share with the NSW cops any information is actually just rude,’’ he said.

Pandeli was deported by Dubai authorities on Emirates flight UAE416 on Thursday catching the AFP off guard who scrambled to get officers on board to escort him.

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“The decision to deport the man was an independent decision made by Dubai authorities.

AFP members returned on the same flight as the man,’’ the AFP said today.

“On arrival, the man was escorted by the AFP to a secure room, where a search warrant was executed, with personal belongings seized’’ the statement said.

“The AFP continues to have coverage of the individual,’’ it also said.

Another officer said: “He is the boss of the Hells Angels and may well be the target of rival gangs now he is back, or maybe meeting with associates,’’ he said.

Where the bikie boss is now remains unclear, with the AFP offering the cryptic ‘’we have coverage’’ of Pandeli. The globe trotting bikie boss has been living between Greece and the United Arab Emirates since leaving Australia in 2018.

Angelo Pandeli with his family in Dubai. Picture: Supplied / Nine

“The AFP making noises about closing in on him, and then he is deported into their backyard and he hasn’t been arrested is astounding,” said a retired international law enforcement officer.

“At this stage there doesn’t appear to be anything stopping him from flying out of the country again.”

An underworld source said someone like Pandeli – being able to come back home and not be immediately detained was: “The most incredible thing I’ve ever heard.”

He has been named by the AFP in the past twelve months as one of the biggest suspected importers of drugs into the country and has been declared as the number one Australian Prioritised Organised target.

The APOTs list – compiled by the Australian Crime Intelligence Commission (ACIC) is reserved for organisations or individuals who are considered a threat to national security.

“Prior to the man being deported, the AFP informed relevant state and Commonwealth agencies that the man would be returning, where he would be returning to, and at what time,’’ the AFP said.