An alleged organised crime figure who went on the run after being charged over a major drug supply ring has been caught hiding in a coastal town in the NSW Hunter region.
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Darren Rispen, 42, became one of NSW's most wanted men after he disappeared in 2014 while on bail for dozens of serious offences.
He is allegedly linked to a plane that was raided for drugs at Illawarra Regional Airport in 2014 which police claimed was used to import $9 million worth of drugs.
Rispen had been caught up in a Middle Eastern Organised Crime Squad (MEOCS) investigation targeting a Sydney-based drug ring with international links.
Police have been searching for the fugitive for 2½ years after he failed to show up to court.
Just before midday on Monday, MEOCS caught up with him in Nelson Bay in Port Stephens, north of Newcastle. He was arrested and taken to Raymond Terrace police station.
"He walked under our nose and we jumped on him," Detective Acting Superintendent Steve Patton said.
Acting Superintendent Patton said Rispen was both surprised and angry when police caught up with him, having changed his name, grown a beard and altered his appearance.
"He'd gone to a fair bit of effort and had a decent crack at it," he said. "He'd found himself a new partner and early indications are that she wasn't aware of his real identity."
At the centre of the investigation was an eight-seater plane allegedly used by the syndicate to import drugs and guns.
The syndicate allegedly used pilot Bernhard Stevermuer and a finance company to buy the aircraft, which was then flown from the US to a number of locations before arriving in Australia.
Stevermuer was paid $70,000 to fly the plane from the US for the syndicate.
Police raided the plane at Illawarra Regional Airport in July 2014 and later alleged it was used to import $9 million worth of drugs.
Rispen was under investigation for his role in the syndicate that bought the plane for $400,000.
The plane was paid for through six bank transfers from five Chinese accounts.
The US Department of Homeland Security told investigating officers at least one of the accounts had been used suspiciously in the past to transfer large amounts of money from Asia to the United States.
In September 2014, police investigating the drug network uncovered a meth lab and seized a large amounts of drugs from properties in Sydney's south-west.
Rispen was allegedly behind those drugs and was later arrested and charged with 27 offences, including drug supply and directing a criminal group.
He was granted bail on the serious charges and then went to ground.
Acting Supterintendent Patton said Rispen would still have to face those same charges."He was at the top rung of that syndicate, we'll be alleging."
A warrant was issued for his arrest when he was a no show at Campbelltown Local Court in December 2014.
On Monday he was charged with the arrest warrant and will appear in Raymond Terrace Local Court on Tuesday.
