Five of the six infamous Australian drug dealers arrested in Dubai earlier this month are attempting to avoid extradition to Australia by claiming their Lebanese nationality.
Dubbed the "Dubai six" by Australian media, the men were arrested on Aug. 8. They are currently being held in separate police cells in the United Arab Emirates, according to The Daily Telegraph.
The men's names were revealed as Fadi Ibrahim, his brother Michael Ibrahim, Mustapha Dib, Stephen Elmir, Hakan Arif and Koder Jomaa.
Of the six men, five are of Lebanese descent. A senior Dubai police officer has revealed they are applying for Lebanese citizenship in a bid to avoid extradition to Australia, where they could face life in prison if found guilty of the charges against them.
Extradition could cost Australia a lot
The men were arrested in connection with a plan to transport $810 million worth of cocaine and crystal meth to Australia via The Netherlands.
Currently, Australian and UAE authorities are working on plans for extradition. However, Australian police fear for the men's safety during transport and the cost of extradition may be extremely high.
Media reports have suggested that police are considering using Global Express jets, which each cost $250,000. In total, the operation could cost Australian tax-payers over $1 million.
"[Private jets] would be the safest option all around — for them, passengers and police officers," an Australian police source said.
“It’s not beyond the realms of possibility that there are contracts on their heads," the source added.
The men want to avoid prison
But five of the drug dealers are hoping to save Australian tax-payers the money ... and save themselves some serious time in jail.
"It’s a no-brainer, they want to go to Lebanon where there is no extradition treaty with Australia," George Lombard, of George Lombard Consultancy, a fellow of Migration Institute of Australia, told The Daily Telegraph.
“Theoretically they could be declared Lebanese citizens, kicked out of Dubai and live anywhere in the world where there is no extradition agreement with Australia or Lebanon to bring them back home," he said.
It remains unclear whether Lebanon would imprison the men or consider cooperating with Australia in the international case.