Fugitive linked to Australian cartel caught after being found hiding in bathroom of private jet on resort island

An Australian fugitive linked to a drug-smuggling network was arrested after hiding in the lavatory of a private jet about to depart Bali's resort island. Indonesian immigration officers boarded the plane at Denpasar's VIP Terminal on Saturday after the pilot was ordered to return from the runway amid suspicions about a passenger traveling on a Brazilian passport with no entry record for Indonesia or valid residence permit. The man, identified by Australian media as Angelo Pandeli, is described as a prominent motorcycle gang member linked to drug trafficking and wanted by Interpol; authorities say he used a Brazilian passport to evade arrest. Pandeli and three other foreign passengers and three crew members were preparing to fly from Bali to Maputo, Mozambique, when the pilot received orders to stay on the tarmac. Immigration officials found Pandeli hiding in the lavatory and he was deported following a direct request from the Australian Embassy for further legal proceedings in Australia. Bali authorities stressed that the island will not become a haven for international criminals, noting a broader crackdown on drug trafficking and cross-border crime with cooperation from Indonesian police, Australian authorities, and Interpol.