Notorious alleged WA drug kingpin 'The Kid' arrested in Colombia
One of Western Australia's most-wanted and notorious alleged drug kingpins, nicknamed "The Kid", has been detained in Colombia and is awaiting potential extradition, according to authorities.
Arash Ebrahimi Far, an Australian-Iranian national, had been hiding in Colombia since December 2018, according to the National Police of Colombia.
The alleged drug kingpin is also known by the aliases "Ash" and "The Kid". (Supplied: National Police of Colombia)
Authorities in Western Australia have been building a case against Mr Ebrahimi Far for years, alleging he was operating a large-scale criminal network and shipping drugs back to WA.
"Finding him is not the hard part, it's bringing him back," WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch told The West Australian newspaper in 2022.
After years of waiting, authorities appear to be on the cusp of bringing the alleged drug baron back to WA to face prosecution.
Wounded by gunfire
In a statement, Colombian police said the Australian Federal Police (AFP) had assisted the Colombian Directorate of Criminal Investigation and Interpol to detain Mr Ebrahimi Far, known in the underworld as "Ash".
"He has been identified as a high-value target by Australian judicial authorities and was the subject of an Interpol Red Notice for drug trafficking and money laundering," the statement said.
Arash Ebrahimi Far had been receiving treatment in hospital after being wounded by gunfire, Colombian police say. (Supplied: National Police of Colombia)
Police said they arrested Mr Ebrahimi Far while he was leaving a hospital, where he had received treatment "after being wounded by gunfire".
"The operation took place at a hospital in the municipality of Copacabana … Interpol investigators intercepted alias 'Ash' at the very moment he was trying to leave the medical facility to escape the authorities," police said.
"The fugitive had been receiving medical care after being wounded by gunfire several days earlier, in circumstances that are currently being investigated."
Top leader in network
WA Police directed the ABC's enquiries to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), which has been contacted for comment.
Colombian authorities described Mr Ebrahimi Far as one of the "top leaders of a large-scale criminal network".
Colombian police shared pictures of Arash Ebrahimi Far's arrest. (Supplied: National Police of Colombia)
"This organisation has the capacity to sell and bring in vast quantities of narcotics, as well as handle millions in cash and arsenals of firearms," Colonel Elver Vicente Alfonso Sanabria said.
"To stay off the radar of intelligence agencies, the organisation coordinated its illicit activities through encrypted communication platforms."
Colombian police said Mr Ebrahimi Far would be formally handed over to Australian authorities.
The WA police commissioner vented his frustrations last year at the pace of the extradition process.
WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch is anticipating the alleged kingpin's extradition. (ABC News: Kenith Png)
"As organised crime becomes so transnational, which it has, and the profits are so large, we are going to see the impact at the downstream affect here in WA," Commissioner Blanch told 102.5 ABC Perth in December.
"I need to make sure that our Commonwealth framework is able to take out those kingpins that are either over east or overseas."
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