Police launch manhunt for alleged cocaine importer and millionaire restaurateur Mostafa Baluch

A millionaire Sydney restaurateur charged with financing a major drug importation syndicate may have left NSW and be attempting to flee overseas after allegedly cutting off his ankle monitor while on bail.

Mostafa Baluch, 33, who owned Northbridge’s Cervo restaurant before it closed, is alleged to have been the financier behind a 900kg shipment of cocaine into Australia that had a street value of $270m.

He is now the subject of a “massive” manhunt after NSW Police said on Tuesday he had breached bail and was believed to have left the northern beaches.

Detective Superintendent Rob Critchlow said police had some suspicions as to where Mr Baluch could be and that they were working with local and interstate partners to find him.

“It is a safe bet that considering the matters he’s facing and the strength of the evidence that has been amassed that he will seek to leave at least the jurisdiction of NSW and probably Australia,” Mr Critchlow told reporters.

Mr Baluch, who was charged with multiple offences in June, was granted bail and released from custody, subject to strict conditions, at Sydney Central Local Court last Thursday.

Mr Critchlow wouldn’t comment on the magistrate’s decision to grant him bail but said a significant amount of police work was now “under threat”.

“A lot of police resources from agencies all around the world (were used) to investigate this fellow earlier in the year and get a substantial amount of evidence for a very serious offence,” he said.

“We have a system that takes into account a whole number of things. All I can say is this man is a very dangerous offender.”

Early last year NSW Police began investigating an alleged international organised crime syndicate involved in the importation of drugs across Australia, North America and South America.

A tip-off from the NSW Police led to the US Navy seizing 870kg of cocaine off the Colombian coast and the United States Coast Guard seizing a further 900kg in a second ship off Ecuador.

Police allege the conspirators planned to supply 3000kg of cocaine – including the 1770kg that was seized off South America — and Mr Baluch was the sole financier of the shipment seized off Ecuador.

Officers raided Mr Baluch’s Bayview home, seizing cash, encrypted phones, cocaine, steroids and jewellery.

He was arrested in June and charged with a string of offences, including supplying a prohibited drug and dealing with the proceeds of crime.

Later that month police laid further charges of conspiracy to import a commercial quantity of border-controlled drug, which carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment if found guilty.

“We will allege that the allegations this man is facing indicate that he was involved in the highest levels of organised crime,” Mr Critchlow said on Tuesday.

“And that he presents a risk to the Australian community and probably now the world community.”

Mr Baluch was remanded in prison until he successfully applied for bail on Thursday last week.

He was granted bail on a string of strict conditions, including that he put up a $4 million surety.

He was also required to report to Mona Vale police stations daily, not communicate with any witness, not drink alcohol or take drugs, not use encrypted devices and be fitted with an ankle monitor.

He was scheduled to appear before the NSW Supreme Court for a bail hearing on Tuesday morning.

Police are appealing for public assistance and say Baluch is wanted in relation to an alleged breach of bail.

“Mostafa is described as being of Mediterranean/Middle Eastern appearance, about 180cm tall, of a muscular build, with black hair, brown eyes and unshaven,” NSW Police said in a statement earlier on Tuesday.

“Anyone who sights Mostafa, or who has information about his whereabouts, is urged not to approach him and to call triple-0 immediately.”