Dubai arrests: Fadi, Michael Ibrahim set to be extradited back to Oz

THE six men arrested in Dubai for heading drug and tobacco importing syndicates — including Michael and Fadi Ibrahim — have been dealt a major blow with authorities saying they are to be extradited to Australia.

• IBRAHIM’S HOME RAIDED, MICHAEL, FADI ARRESTED
• FADI IBRAHIM PREVENTED FROM ATTENDING HEARING

THE six men arrested in Dubai for heading drug and tobacco importing syndicates — including Michael and Fadi Ibrahim — have been dealt a major blow with authorities saying they are to be extradited to Australia.

The UAE Minister for Justice in Dubai informed legal representatives for Stephen Fawaz Elmir, Mustapha Dib, Koder Jomaa, bikie Hakan Arif and the Ibrahims they will be granting extradition requests by the Australian Federal Police.

Lawyers representing the accused drug runners are scrambling to see if there are any legal avenues to overturn the decision.

Michael Ibrahim.

Fadi Ibrahim could be returning to Australia. Picture: Stephen Cooper

“But it appears as if it’s a done deal,” one said.

Australian Federal Police refused to comment.

READ MORE: The biggest attack on organised crime in Australia’s history

Police raid Fadi Ibrahim’s house in Dover Heights as part of the recent arrests,

Mr Ibrahim’s Sydney home. Picture: John Grainger

Also caught in the cross-continental stings involving Australia and the Netherlands were Kings Cross identity John Ibrahim’s son, Daniel, his girlfriend Sarah Budge and his cousin Sleiman Tajjour.

Sarah Budge, girlfriend of Sydney identity John Ibrahim.

Nightclub owner John Ibrahim. Mr Ibrahim has not been charged with any offence.

In the NSW Supreme Court today, new details of the tobacco smuggling syndicate involving Michael and Fadi Ibrahim allegedly worked emerged during a bail application for one of the syndicate Fares Derbas.

Derbas is facing six charges of helping to importing, distribute and selling 900,000 packets of illegal cigarettes.

Fares Derbas is face six charges in relation to the importing of illegal cigarettes.

The court heard that four days after a secret meeting at Sydney’s Sheraton on the Park in November last year hundreds of thousands of illegally imported cigarettes were being bought out of the back of a Toyota Hilux in southwest Sydney.

The 30-year-old is accused of helping Michael Ibrahim, 39, and eastern suburbs real estate agent Ryan Watsford import and distribute more than 900,000 packets of illegal cigarettes worth $1.8 million and defrauding the Australian Government of $11 million.

The court heard the Bondi cafe owner participated in five separate cigarette sales, including a deal in the carpark of a Strathfield South 7/11 in November 2016 where Derbas $620,000 handed over for 100,000 packets.

After the success of these transactions the group then organised for another 900,000 packets of cigarettes to be shipped from Dubai in July this year with Michael Ibrahim flying overseas for three weeks and leaving Derbas in charge.

Defence Barrister John Korn told the court his client categorically denied all the charges levelled against him

The hearing will continue next week before Justice Lucy McCallum.