Arrest warrant issued for Hussein Chamas, 35, after he left Connect Global rehab facility at Swan Bay

It is a vanishing act with all the trimmings – serious drug charges, allegations of forged court documents and millions of dollars worth of sureties at risk. But how did a man with so many strict conditions get a six-day head start on authorities.

Hussein Chamas, 35, was last seen at the Connect Global Rehab in Swan Bay, which used to be Fishermans Village. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Authorities are scrambling to find an alleged drug importer who walked out of a regional rehab facility and vanished after documents purporting to be from the state’s highest court – stamped and signed – claimed his bail conditions had changed and he could leave the centre to meet with his lawyers.

But the NSW Supreme Court – as well as state and federal police – has confirmed Hussein Chamas had never been granted any such freedoms and is now a wanted man with a court-issued arrest warrant granted and a bevy of investigators on his tail.

The problem for authorities is that the 35-year-old has at least six days on those hunting him after Connect Global drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre managers waved him goodbye on January 8 when receiving what they believed to be variations to a long list of bail conditions that Chamas had abided by since being granted conditional release in September 2023.

Those conditions, as well as a variation granted by the NSW Supreme Court last March, included that he not leave the Port Stephens rehab centre unless for court and medical appearances, wear an ankle bracelet at all times and two people put up their mortgages – at a total potential loss of $3.65m – as surety that he not break bail.

It was not until Chamas failed to return to the facility, at Swan Bay on the Karuah River, that authorities were contacted.

The rehab centre is at Swan Bay, on the Karuah River. Picture: Jonathan Ng

There are now significant concerns that Chamas, who had pleaded not guilty to serious drug importation charges and was due to go to trial early next year, has now had time to skip the country.

The Australian Federal Police first raised concerns about Chamas in a nationwide press release issued on Tuesday – six days after the alarm was raised and a day after a Downing Centre Local Court magistrate issued an arrest warrant for Chamas.

Hussein Chamas. Picture: AFP

The AFP said in a statement that it had identified Chamas as part of Operation Ironside and he was alleged to be a member of a syndicate which used the ANOM platform to import drugs into Australia.

He had been arrested in July 2023 at Sydney Airport, when the AFP said he had “triggered” an alert as he tried to leave Australia.

Chamas was charged with one count each of conspiracy to import a commercial quantity of methamphetamine, trafficking commercial quantities of a controlled drug, and breaching a firearm prohibition order (FPO) by acquiring or possessing a firearm.

Both drug offences carry a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, while the maximum penalty for the FPO breach is five years imprisonment.

He pleaded not guilty to all the offences and was due to face a trial for the drug offences in February 2026.

Connect Global Rehab in Swan Bay where Hussein Chamas had been bail to attend. Picture: Jonathan Ng

He was granted bail in September 2023 and a variation was made on March 3 last year.

The “home detention conditions” included that he comply with a curfew not to leave the Connect Global rehab centre unless he was attending court, emergency medical treatment or to abide by his rehab program.

Those conditions had been varied for a period between March 3 and March 17 last year, where he could reside at a Bexley address instead of the rehab centre.

Other conditions, including that he have an ankle bracelet monitor fitted at all times, remained as well as two “acceptable people” put up their mortgages as sureties.

Hussein Chamas, 35, is wanted after an arrest warrant was issued in Downing Centre Local Court on Monday. Picture: AFP

The mortgages, which both people had to sign off that they agreed to forfeit if Chamas failed to appear in accordance with his bail acknowledgment, were of $3m and $650,000.

But a Connect Global spokesman told this masthead that the rehab facility received an email purporting to be variations made by the NSW Supreme Court on January 6.

The document, which included a NSW Supreme Court stamp and signatures, stated that Chamas had successfully applied to have his bail varied so he could stay in Sydney between January 8 and January 12.

The NSW Supreme Court confirmed on Tuesday that no order had ever been made and no document existed.

The document sent to Connect Global has since been given to federal authorities.

After seeing the document, the rehab centre spokesman said managers believed Chamas could leave the facility.

When he didn’t return, they made a report to Raymond Terrace police on January 14.

Federal police were also notified by another party.

In a statement released by the AFP, Commander Kate Ferry urged residents to assist authorities in finding Chamas.

“Our aim is to identify, locate and apprehend fugitives who are wanted for serious offences and bring them before court to face justice,” she said.

“Anyone with information about Hussein Chamas should contact 131 AFP or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.”