Comanchero bikie boss Mark Buddle brought back to Australia in designer shoes and handcuffs

Comanchero bikie boss Mark Buddle has been ingloriously frogmarched to detention with handcuffs on his wrists and designer shoes on his feet. The underworld is in disbelief.

Back in Australia … Buddle is facing charges on Wednesday.

With handcuffs on his wrists and Louis Vuitton shoes on his feet, Comanchero boss Mark Buddle arrived back in Australia yesterday, six years after leaving his home country.

The 37-year-old globetrotting leader of the outlaw bikie gang was ingloriously frogmarched by the Australian Federal Police when he landed in Darwin at 3am yesterday.

Buddle was deported from Turkey to Australia to face charges of conspiracy to import more than 160kg of cocaine worth $40m into Melbourne.

Sydney born and bred, Buddle was kicked out of Turkey after being arrested by heavily armed police in Northern ­Cyprus three weeks ago allegedly for visa violations.

His former partner Mel Ter Wisscha was arrested two weeks ago and is currently still in an immigration facility.

Comanchero bikie boss Mark Buddle was extradited to Australia under armed guard.

Mark Buddle with former partner Mel Ter Wisscha.

The Daily Telegraph understands since his arrest Buddle, who grew up in a housing commission unit in Maroubra, has made several attempts to get out of Turkey under his own steam and avoid coming to Australia.

“He tried a few things to avoid being deported to Australia,” a senior law enforcement officer said.

Mark Buddle is accused of importing 160kg of cocaine into Melbourne last May. Picture: AFP

“And he has plenty of money but in the end the Turkish authorities booted him.”

Buddle was put on a charter plane with armed Turkish officers because he was deemed a security risk and not able to travel on a commercial flight. No Australian police were on board the flight and it’s ­believed that soon after the ­decision to deport him was made Australian authorities were told he was on his way to Darwin.

Wearing Louis Vuitton sneakers and shorts, the well built Buddle was walked backwards to make it easier for AFP officers to control his movement.

An AFP spokesman said Buddle was put in the awkward position deliberately for security reasons.

On Tuesday night underworld sources in Sydney told The Telegraph that Buddle had left Turkey on a private plane, at the time believing he was going to a third country.

“No one thought the Feds would get him back, but they did,” the source said.

Mark Buddle is led into Darwin by

Federal police today.

He is currently being held in a Darwin prison and will be extradited to Melbourne in the next week where he faces charges of conspiracy to import more than 160kg of cocaine worth $40 million.

“In mid July 2022, a Melbourne Magistrates Court issued an arrest warrant for the man in relation to the alleged importation of cocaine,” AFP Assistant Commissioner Nigel Ryan said yesterday.

“And in late July, an Interpol Red Notice for the man was issued.”

He said on Monday Turkey made an “independent decision” to deport Buddle with ­officials escorting him on the charter flight to Darwin where he was met by the police.

“The AFP was well placed to respond to the man’s return, due to the progress of an ongoing AFP criminal investigation and the AFP’s strong global, law enforcement and intelligence networks,” he said.

Buddle’s lawyer Robert Welfare outside NT Local Court in Darwin where Comanchero bikie boss Mark Buddle made his first appearance in Australia. Picture: Glenn Campbell

Commonwealth prosecutor Naomi Low (left) outside NT Local Court in Darwin. Picture: Glenn Campbell

Mr Ryan said the AFP will allege Operation Ironside South Britannic, linked Buddle to a transnational criminal syndicate operating out of Hong Kong and Turkey.

He said the syndicate was using “dedicated encrypted communication means” to co-ordinate the shipments.

Mr Ryan later confirmed they will allege Buddle was using the AN0M app, an ­encrypted device that was in fact a trojan horse where the AFP and FBI were able to ­intercept messages.

Secrecy has surrounded most of the operation to return Buddle to Australia from the signing of the warrant in Melbourne two weeks ago to his court appearance in Darwin yesterday.

“Police have some security concerns and this is why you’re appearing via telephone,” Judge Elizabeth Morris told him in Darwin Magistrates court.

There was no application for bail and Ms Morris ordered that he stay in custody in the Northern Territory no later than August 10, by which time he should be before court in Melbourne.

Mark Buddle in his Comanchero vest.

Mark Buddle will face court on Wednesday. Picture: AAP Image

The charging of Buddle is seen as a major public relations victory for the AFP when there was criticism that no red notice existed before he was captured by an overseas force.

Mr Ryan said the AFP had been “methodical and patient” in putting a brief of evidence together to ensure Buddle could ”face the justice system”.

“Because at the end of the day, law enforcement needs evidence to charge someone and bring them before the courts,” he said.

Mr Ryan said in October 2021 the AFP engaged with the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions to seek an ­arrest warrant.

“During this time the AFP continued to take statements and prepare a full brief of evidence,” he said.

Originally published as Comanchero bikie boss Mark Buddle brought back to Australia in designer shoes and handcuffs