NSW’s most wanted man, Mostafa Baluch, found on Queensland border

The most wanted man in NSW has allegedly been found hiding in the back of a truck after a costly search spanning four states and several weeks ended in a “great day” for police.

Police say they pulled over the truck as it crossed the Queensland border about 1am today.

Officers claim they knocked on a shipping container the truck was transporting and that Mostafa Baluch, who had been on the run since last month, knocked back.

Police allege Mr Baluch was hiding in a Mercedes 4WD which was inside the container.

Police had been searching for the 33-year-old since he allegedly cut off an ankle tracking bracelet and disappeared from his home on Sydney’s northern beaches on October 25 while on bail.

Mr Baluch was charged over an attempt to import 900 kilograms of cocaine into NSW and just days before he disappeared he had been granted bail.

A multi-agency investigation involving police in NSW, Queensland, Victoria and South Australia has been working around the clock for the past 17 days in an attempt to find him.

Police said the truck was stopped after officers received a tip off Mr Baluch could be hiding inside a vehicle trying to cross the border.

Police claim they had been checking trucks travelling through Tweed Heads when they noticed an unlocked container on the back of the truck Mr Baluch was on.

Detective Superintendent Robert Critchlow said Mr Baluch was a “bit shocked” he had been found.

He was arrested and remains in custody in Southport. He is expected to face court later today.

Detectives are now travelling to Queensland to seek Mr Baluch’s extradition to NSW.

Police Minister David Elliott said he would be “skipping around all day”.

“Today will be considered one of the great days of NSW Police,” he said.

Mr Elliott described the decision to grant the 33-year-old bail as “questionable” and said it proved the current review into the state’s bail laws was justified.

NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Stuart Smith said the investigation had cost an “extraordinary” amount of money.

“I’d have nightmares if I even started to think about it. But if it’s $1, it’s $1 unnecessarily spent,” Mr Elliott said.

The man police claim was driving the truck has been arrested in Grafton in northern NSW and will face charges in relation to conveying a wanted person out of a jurisdiction.

The trucking company which he works for will now be investigated by police with a “fine-toothed comb”, Detective Superintendent Critchlow said.

“We understand they’ll have few trucks left on the road tomorrow,” he said.

Last week, police alleeged Mr Baluch had a “senior role” in a wider criminal network and that they had concerns for the public’s safety while he remained at large.

In relation to the investigation, police raided two properties in Potts Hill and Yagoona five days ago and seized $250,000 in cash, 200 grams of cocaine, mobile phones, money-counting machines and 458 grams of an “unknown substance”.

They also seized a black Range Rover with Queensland number plates after it was captured on CCTV driving through the M4 tunnel near Croydon only hours after Mr Baluch fled his Bayview home.

The state has seized Mr Baluch’s northern beaches home, which was put forward as bail surety.

Police said the property was valued at $4 million.

Assistant Commissioner Smith said police would seize more of Mr Baluch’s assets.

Mr Baluch is facing charges over an alleged attempt to import cocaine into Australia from Ecuador.

The cocaine was seized from a vessel travelling off the coast of Ecuador in April and had a street value of $270 million. ABC