Turkish Cyprus deports Australian fugitive

NICOSIA- Agence France-Presse

Turkish Cyprus has deported Australian fugitive Mark Buddle to Türkiye, where he is being processed before his handover to Australia, officials in the self-declared republic said yesterday.

Buddle, 44, is wanted for questioning in Australia in connection with a fatal shooting in 2010 and alleged links to a drug cartel, according to Australian media reports.

The interior ministry of Turkish Cyprus said Buddle received a residence permit in the statelet last August thanks to his “high income.”

But the republic’s police directorate then concluded that Buddle’s presence was “inconvenient in terms of public peace and security,” its interior ministry said in a statement.

Buddle was transferred to Ankara on July 10 “under the supervision of two police officers”, the statement said.

“Legal proceedings are continuing in Ankara for the extradition of Mark Douglas Buddle ... to his home country,” the statement said.

Security officials in Türkiye gave no immediate comment.

Australian media identified Buddle as one of the country’s most wanted men. He allegedly plays a leading role in the “Aussie Cartel”, smuggling drugs into the nation of 26 million people.