Former Sydney Hells Angels boss Angelo Pandeli has been arrested in Bali while attempting to leave Indonesia on a private jet using a fake passport.
Mr Pandeli originally left Australia in 2018 before police executed a search warrant on his Pyrmont home related to a $250 million drug plot.
The 55-year-old was never charged with any offences, but the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) in 2021 alleged Mr Pandeli was part of the “Aussie Cartel”.
The gang was believed by police to be responsible for running major drug importation routes into Australia operated by offshore fugitives.
Angelo Pandeli outside a Sydney court in 2017. (ABC News)
However, when Mr Pandeli was deported from Dubai back to Australia in 2024, he faced no charges from Australian authorities.
His whereabouts in the two years since have remained a mystery, with previous reports suggesting law enforcement had lost track of Mr Pandeli.
Pandeli’s jet ‘bound for Africa’
According to a statement released by Indonesian authorities, the former bikie boss was found hiding in the toilet of a private jet bound for Mozambique on Saturday night local time.
“During the immigration clearance process, officers detected anomalies regarding a passenger holding a Brazilian passport under the name GAM,” a statement released by Bali airport’s immigration Office read.
“[Pandeli] individual lacked any record of entry or a valid stay permit for Indonesia. While the other three passengers were cleared, officers decided to defer GAM’s departure for further intensive questioning.”
Vision taken by immigration authorities showing them boarding a private jet on which Angelo Pandeli was allegedly attempting to fly to Africa last week. (Supplied: Ngurah Rai Immigration)
Immigration authorities said Mr Pandeli was on board the jet with a Brazilian and a Portuguese national when it attempted to taxi to the runway.
“Before further action could be taken, all passengers snuck back onto the aircraft without authorisation, and the plane prepared to take off, ignoring the directives of the officers,” the statement said.
“Once the aircraft was forced back, officers conducted a sweep and discovered GAM hiding inside the aircraft’s toilet, while the other three passengers remained in the cabin.
“Subsequent investigation revealed that the Brazilian passport under the name GAM was counterfeit. The true identity of the 55-year-old man was established as AP, an Australian citizen born in Whyalla, Australia.”
Officials from Bali’s immigration department confirmed to the ABC the man who was arrested and deported, dubbed “AP”, was Angelo Pandeli.
“The individual was immediately deported following a direct request from the Australian Embassy to undergo further legal proceedings in Australia,” an Indonesian immigration official told the ABC.
“[Mr Pandeli] is identified as an influential figure within a Transnational Serious Organised Crime (TSOC) network and a prominent member of an outlaw motorcycle gang,” Indonesian authorities said, citing an Interpol notice.
“The Australian Federal Police (AFP) state that [Mr Pandeli] is responsible for a series of large-scale illicit narcotics importations into Australian territory.
“The individual had long been evading law enforcement and is suspected of attempting to covertly leave the region using unlawfully obtained travel documents to escape the reach of the law and continue his network operations from outside Australia.”
Bali immigration officials said Mr Pandeli has also been banned from Indonesia for life.
Mr Pandeli, who was deported to Adelaide on Wednesday, has not been charged with any offences in Australia and there is no allegation of wrongdoing.
“The AFP is aware a 55-year-old Australian man has been deported from Bali after being detained by the Indonesia Directorate General of Immigration on Saturday, 6 June, 2026,” an AFP spokesperson said.
“The AFP continues to liaise with Indonesian authorities and other partner agencies regarding the man’s travel and the circumstances of his detention.
“The AFP would like to thank the DGI and the Indonesian National Police for their ongoing support.”
