Former brothel owner and controversial gambling figure Eddie Hayson will remain in custody following his extradition to NSW on serious drug charges.
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Hayson was extradited from Queensland's Gold Coast after NSW Police alleged he was involved in commercial drug supply around Australia.
The 55-year-old was allegedly involved in a criminal group using private planes and encrypted devices to supply drugs across the nation.
A light aircraft was taken for forensic examination at Bankstown Airport in Sydney's southwest on Tuesday, while a vessel was seized at Sans Souci in the city's south.
Police also raided homes on the Gold Coast at Mermaid Beach and Burleigh Heads, where Hayson was arrested and devices were seized.
Hayson and a 35-year-old man arrested at Burwood in Sydney's west were involved in planning and transporting 16kg of methamphetamine and five kilograms of MDMA from Sydney to Perth in August, police allege.
The younger man was refused bail in Burwood Local Court on Tuesday and is due to face court again in April.
Hayson was escorted to Sydney by detectives on Wednesday after an extradition hearing at Southport Magistrates Court.
He has been charged with two counts of supplying a large commercial quantity of a prohibited drug and knowingly directing activities of a criminal group.
His case was briefly mentioned in Downing Centre Local Court on Thursday, when his solicitor William O'Brien said he would apply for bail on Tuesday.
Hayson's extradition came after a joint operation involving NSW Police and the NSW Crime Commission along with Australian Federal Police and officers in Queensland and Western Australia.
The controversial gambler revealed in 2016 he provided free sex to rugby league players at the brothel he previously owned in inner-city Sydney, Stiletto, while denying any involvement in alleged NRL match fixing.
"I have never bribed a player or even attempted to interfere with the result of an NRL match or any other sport," he told reporters at a press conference at the time.
Hayson also lashed out at media "lies" and claimed his name had been used to embellish a fictitious underworld "fix" that a bikie detailed to police.
Police investigated NRL match-fixing allegations under Strike Force Nuralda, but no one was charged.
Australian Associated Press
