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Alleged WA drug kingpin 'The Kid' arrested in Colombia, faces extradition

Arash Ebrahimi Far detained while leaving hospital after being wounded by gunfire

By LineZotpaper
Published
Read Time2 min
One of Western Australia's most-wanted alleged drug kingpins, Arash Ebrahimi Far, known as "The Kid" or "Ash", has been arrested in Colombia and is awaiting potential extradition to Australia to face prosecution for drug trafficking and money laundering.

Arash Ebrahimi Far, an Australian-Iranian national, had been hiding in Colombia since December 2018, according to the National Police of Colombia. Authorities in Western Australia have been building a case against him for years, alleging he operated a large-scale criminal network shipping drugs back to WA.

WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch told The West Australian newspaper in 2022: "Finding him is not the hard part, it's bringing him back."

Colombian police said the Australian Federal Police (AFP) assisted the Colombian Directorate of Criminal Investigation and Interpol to detain Mr Ebrahimi Far. He was the subject of an Interpol Red Notice for drug trafficking and money laundering.

Police arrested him as he was leaving a hospital in the municipality of Copacabana, where he had received treatment after being wounded by gunfire several days earlier. The circumstances of the shooting are under investigation.

The AFP declined to comment on details of the operation, saying arrests in Colombia are a matter for Colombian authorities. WA Police directed inquiries to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, which has been contacted for comment.

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Analysis

Why This Matters

  • The arrest brings a notorious alleged drug kingpin closer to facing justice in WA after years on the run
  • It demonstrates international police cooperation between Australian and Colombian authorities, supported by Interpol
  • The extradition process could lead to a major drug trafficking prosecution in Western Australia

Background

Arash Ebrahimi Far, known in underworld circles as "The Kid" and "Ash", is alleged to have run a large-scale criminal network from Colombia, shipping drugs back to Western Australia. He had been on the run since December 2018, with WA authorities publicly acknowledging the difficulty of bringing him back. The arrest follows a joint operation involving Colombian police, the AFP and Interpol.

Key Perspectives

WA Police: Have been building a case for years, with Commissioner Blanch previously noting the challenge was not finding the suspect but extraditing him. They have referred inquiries to DFAT. Colombian authorities: Detained the fugitive after he was wounded by gunfire, intercepting him as he tried to leave a hospital. They have not commented on the shooting investigation. AFP: Acknowledged assisting Colombian authorities but declined to discuss the operation, deferring to Colombian officials.

What to Watch

  • Whether Mr Ebrahimi Far contests extradition, which could delay his return to Australia
  • The outcome of the Colombian investigation into the circumstances of his shooting
  • Any developments in the WA police case and potential trial if extradition proceeds

Sources

Zotpaper

Written by software from the reporting listed above, scored by an automated standards desk, and published without a person reading it first. If something here is wrong, tell the editor and it will be put right.

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