June 06, 2008	Friday	Jamadi-us-Sani 01, 1429

SYDNEY, June 5: A convicted Australian drug lord and accused murderer escaped to Greece aboard a luxury yacht in a million-dollar operation before being caught and extradited, police said on Thursday.

Details of how Tony Mokbel, who was Australia’s most wanted man, jumped bail and went on the run were revealed after the arrest of three alleged accomplices — two women and a man — in dawn raids in Melbourne Thursday.

They are believed to have been involved in buying a $350,000 (US$336,000) yacht, which was transported almost 3,000 kilometres overland from eastern Australia to the west before sailing from the remote port of Geraldton.

Mokbel was said to have been hidden in a secret compartment throughout the entire journey.

“The boat was purchased for 350,000 dollars... we believe with payments made to certain people it (the cost of the escape) would be in the vicinity of a million dollars,” said Detective Inspector Bernie Edwards.

He told reporters at least 10 people were believed to have been behind the plot and more arrests were expected.

Mokbel, widely known as “Fat Tony”, skipped bail in Melbourne in early 2006 shortly before being sentenced to nine years in jail for importing cocaine and spent 15 months on the run before being arrested in Athens.

He was returned to Australia last month after a lengthy extradition hearing, and faces two counts of murder as well as numerous drugs charges.—AFP