How authorities chased down NSW fugitive Hussein Chamas, 35, sailing in a yacht in the Arafura Sea off NT
Authorities will allege fugitive Hussein Chamas had taken his last steps on the Australian mainland and was just hours from international waters on his way to West Papua when his vanishing act ended in the Arafura Sea. See the video.
NSW
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Hussein Chamas frantically flashed his torch at a yacht anchored off the Arnhem Land stretch of sand just outside Nhulunbuy known by some as Galuru and others as East Woody Beach.
The 35-year-old possibly believed these were his last moments feeling the Australian continent under his feet – it had been 17 days since he had walked out of a NSW rehab facility after paperwork purporting to be from the state’s highest court suggesting he could.
On the boat was a 51-year-old Dutch man and his 42-year-old female companion from the UK.
Unbeknown to Chamas and his new friends, authorities had been covertly tracking the yacht and someone who knew what Chamas looked like had identified him on the beach and alerted authorities.
As reported by this masthead yesterday, it was on the following afternoon – Australia Day – that a high-speed Australian Border Force ship loomed up before officers dramatically ordered them to turn around and sail back towards the mainland.
Although the yacht was turned in the Arafura Sea around about 120 nautical miles south, south east of West Papua, and just hours sailing time from international waters, the arrests were not made until the boat came within 50km of the Australian coast.
Authorities are still investigating where exactly the boat was heading, but evidence discovered on board included papers to the Indonesian province of West Papua.
It was the extraordinary end to a manhunt which spanned over 4000km and several weeks after Chamas got a six-day head start on authorities.
He left the Connect Global rehab centre, at Port Stephens, on January 8 after management received paperwork purporting to be from the NSW Supreme Court with changed bail conditions allowing him to leave and see his legal team in Sydney.
The NSW Supreme Court has confirmed no such orders were made and no such paperwork existed from the court.
But it was not until January 14 that authorities were told of Chamas’ vanishing act – the 35-year-old had been on bail for 18 months after being charged with serious drug importation and conspiracy charges and was awaiting trial in 2026.
The following week, the AFP released a statement that an arrest warrant had been issued for Chamas after a magistrate issued the paperwork to hunt him down.
There were immediate concerns Chamas had, or was trying, to leave the country.
The AFP’ statement said Chamas, alleged to be a member of a syndicate which used the fake ANOM platform to import drugs into Australia, was arrested at Sydney Airport in July 2023 “when he triggered an alert as he tried to leave Australia.”
The manhunt continued until Northern Territory police received a call on Saturday night from a person who said they saw “a man fitting the fugitive’s description” on East Woody Beach near the Arnhem Land town of Nhulunbuy, formally known as Gove.
“He was observed flashing a torch to a yacht anchored nearby. The yacht’s crew were observed responding by also flashing a torch,” the AFP said in a statement on Wednesday.
“The yacht was known to AFP investigators and Australian Border Force (ABF) who had been conducting covert surveillance on the vessel.
“Northern Territory Police attended the area of the sighting and were unable to locate the man or the yacht.”
The following day, Border Force deployed a patrol boat which “intercepted” the yacht in the Arafura Sea. Authorities are yet to confirm how far off the coast the yacht was, but it is understood that it would have entered international waters on Sunday night if it had continued.
The Dutch man and UK woman were arrested first before Chamas walked from below deck after officers yelled at him to put his hands up.
He was taken into custody and transported back to Nhulunbuy where plans for his extradition began.
He was due to face a court in Darwin on Wednesday afternoon and it is expected he will face fresh charges once he arrives in Sydney.
The AFP said the man and woman would both be charged with a people smuggling offence, which carried a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment.
AFP Commander Paula Hudson said arrest was “a testament to the tenacity and expertise of AFP investigators, ABF, and Northern Territory Police”.
“We do not give up. The AFP will continue to work relentlessly with our partners to ensure anyone involved in criminality is brought to justice, even if they have other ideas,” Commander Hudson said.
ABF acting Chief Superintendent Sonya Boylan said organised criminals attempted to exploit vulnerable members of the community, in aide of their criminal activities.
“The charges laid on the vessel’s crew should serve as a warning. There are serious penalties, including possible jail time, for anyone tempted to facilitate any criminal venture in exchange for a profit,” acting Chief Superintendent Boylan said.
“The ABF is positioned across Australia, including in remote regions, where our officers work side-by-side with law enforcement partners and the local community.”
“These relationships are crucial to monitoring for unusual behaviour and ensuring our border is secure from criminals attempting to carry out illegal acts.”
Originally published as How authorities chased down NSW fugitive Hussein Chamas, 35, sailing in a yacht in the Arafura Sea off NT
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