Police have charged a man with assisting an alleged drug smuggler, believed to be a central figure in the Dural caravan fake terror plot, in fleeing Australia.
Sayit Erhan Akca, 35, wanted for drug smuggling, reportedly escaped the country in 2023 and has since been residing in Asia and Turkey.
Akca is considered a key player in an alleged conspiracy involving a staged terror threat, which included the discovery of explosives in a Dural caravan and a series of antisemitic attacks. Authorities now believe these incidents were intended to either divert police attention or manipulate a prosecution. Sources familiar with the investigation, speaking anonymously, revealed that a man arrested by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) in Queensland on Thursday aided Akca’s escape. Police claim this man, alongside another accomplice, operated a boat that picked up Akca from a separate vessel at sea. The trio then sailed from Thursday Island on September 21, 2023, reaching Phuket by November 2.
At the time of his flight, Akca faced charges of handling over $100,000 in crime proceeds and was later charged with conspiring to import a commercial quantity of border-controlled drugs. These charges stem from the AFP’s Operation Ironside, a three-year undercover effort targeting users of the encrypted AN0M communication platform.
The 57-year-old man from Bargara in Bundaberg accused of facilitating Akca’s escape was arrested and is due in court on Friday. He faces charges of people-smuggling and intentionally providing material support to a criminal organization member. During a search of a Bundaberg property, police uncovered messages on electronic devices allegedly linking the man to “offshore criminal syndicate facilitators,” discussing plans for Akca’s getaway.
“Alleged criminals facing severe charges and potential life sentences will go to extreme lengths to evade justice,” said AFP Commander Naomi Binstead. “But those who assist them risk lengthy prison terms themselves.”
The broader investigation ties into 14 individuals charged with 49 offenses related to antisemitic attacks across Sydney, now believed to be part of an organized crime ruse. The discovery of Power Gel mining explosives in a Dural caravan, accompanied by a note listing Jewish targets, was initially flagged by Opposition Leader Peter Dutton as a potential major terrorist attack. However, investigators have concluded it was a deliberate hoax. “The caravan was never meant to trigger a mass casualty event but was a criminal ploy to instill fear for personal gain,” AFP Deputy Commissioner Krissy Barrett stated earlier this month. NSW Police, via Strike Force Pearl, also link at least 14 other antisemitic incidents, including the firebombing of Jewish leader Alex Ryvchin’s former residence, to organized crime orchestration.