Two Aussies arrested, five ‘on the run’ in global sting

The US is “working” to extradite all 17 suspects – including seven Australians – and 10 foreign nationals as part of a global bust on organised crime, but most remain at large.

Several Australians accused of playing key roles with “AN0M Enterprises” are facing extradition to the US after being indicted on racketeering charges.

But first, authorities need to find them.

The US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California unsealed an indictment on Tuesday, charging 17 foreign nationals who allegedly administered or distributed AN0M devices, with racketeering counts. Seven of the accused are Australians but most remain on the run, according to the US Department of Justice.

The AN0M app appears on the screen of a smartphone in Paris. Picture: AFP

Eight of the defendants are now in custody, including Domenico Catanzariti, from Adelaide, who works for an olive-growing business and is accused of being an administrator, and Edwin Harmendra Kumar, from Sydney, who is accused of being a distributor.

The other nine are still considered fugitives. Among them are Australians Baris Tukel, a former Sydney Comanchero sergeant-at-arms, and Erkan Yusef Dogan, who reportedly also has past links to the motorcycle gang, both reside in Turkey and are allegedly distributors and influencers; Shane Geoffrey May, who lives in Indonesia is allegedly a distributor, and; Osemah Elhassen who lives in Colombia and is allegedly a distributor.

Sydney drug lord Hakan Ayik, listed as Turkish citizen Joseph Hakan Ayik, is accused of being an administrator and influencer. He fled Australia in 2010 to avoid being arrested for his alleged involvement in a $230 million heroin importation.

The FBI did not immediately respond to questions on Wednesday local time.

The AFP has also been contacted for comment.

Court documents filed in the US state that the FBI “anticipates working with the United States Department of State and foreign law enforcement authorities in order to locate, arrest, and extradite the seventeen defendants in this case”.

“All defendants are located overseas,” it says.

Police raids were held around the world. Picture: Supplied

The documents also allege that May and Tukel communicated with each other directly on AN0M.

“They have already got a few packages in,” Tukel told buyer May, according to the filing.

Tukel allegedly texted pictures of a verified French embassy protected diplomatic pouch stamped “Valise Diplomatique Francaise” and tightly wrapped drug packs.

“They can do it weekly,” he wrote.

The other indicted foreign nationals, from Sweden, the Netherlands, Finland, UK, Serbia and New Zealand, are Maximilian Rivkin (fugitive), Abdelhakim Aharchaou, Seyyed Hossein Hosseini, Alexander Dmitrienko, Aurangzeb Ayub, James Thomas Flood, Srdjan Todorovic aka Dr. Djek (fugitive), Shane Ngakuru (fugitive), Omar Malik, and Miwand Zakhimi.

They are all accused of conspiring to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organisations Act, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years behind bars.

“Since October 2019, AN0M has generated the defendants millions of dollars in profit by facilitating the criminal activity of transnational criminal organisations and protecting these organisations from law enforcement,” the indictment reads.

AFP officers conduct raids in connection with Operation Ironside. Picture: Supplied

“(The 17) were leaders, members, and associates of criminal organisation … the AN0M ENTERPRISE, whose members engaged in acts involving drug trafficking, money laundering, and obstruction of justice.

“Leaders, members, and associates of the AN0M Enterprise operated throughout the world, including Australia, Colombia, the Netherlands, Turkey, Thailand, Sweden, Spain, and throughout the United States.”

The indictment comes off the back of “Operation Trojan Shield”, known as “Operation Ironside” in Australia, which targeted criminal syndicates globally using the encrypted AN0M Network covertly operated by intelligence agencies.

The FBI alleged the group behind the app had described it to potential clients as “designed by criminals, for criminals.’’

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