Daniel Toutounji, a former senior member of the Comanchero outlaw motorcycle gang, has been arrested at Sydney Airport after evading authorities for over eight years.

The 37-year-old was charged with drug supply offences and alleged associations with a criminal group following a police operation led by NSW Police’s Raptor Squad and Australian Border Force.

Toutounji allegedly fled Australia in 2018 after cocaine and firearms were found at his Sydney home, living between Eastern Europe and the Middle East since.Police claim he is no longer associated with the Comancheros but remains a key figure in Australia’s illicit drug trade.

Raptor Squad Commander Andrew Koutsoufis highlighted international police pressure as a factor in Toutounji’s return, stating that fugitives facing charges in Australia are unlikely to find sanctuary abroad.The arrest follows years of increased scrutiny on the Comancheros, with several members leaving the country in recent years.Toutounji faces a bail hearing ahead of potential court proceedings.