A man who allegedly ran the world's biggest drug cartel has appeared in court after being extradited to Australia from Europe.
Canadian national Tse Chi Lop, 59, was extradited from the Netherlands to face drug trafficking charges in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Thursday.
He appeared in court by video link from cells underneath the building just after 10.30am, wearing black-rimmed glasses and a dark shirt.
Tse remained silent and crossed his arms as the court hearing was translated to him via a Cantonese interpreter.
Police allege Tse conspired to traffic 20kg of the methamphetamine, or derivatives, between March 2012 and March 2013, which had a street value of up to $4.4 million dollars and were split up into separate quantities.
He was charged in October 2019 by the Australian Federal Police, following a decade-long investigation into transnational organised crime syndicate Sam Gor, also known as The Company.
Tse was arrested at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport on January 22 last year by Dutch officers after the AFP requested an INTERPOL "red notice" for his provisional arrest.
Tse's barrister Paul Smallwood did not apply for bail and requested his client be seen by a nurse to receive medication for high blood pressure while in custody.
"Defence anticipate there will be a wealth of information to be served on the defence in relation to this proceedings," he told the court.
Magistrate Martin Grinberg ordered the AFP serve their brief of evidence on the defence by January 11.
Tse will be remanded in custody to face a committal mention on February 16 with another man, 66, who is alleged to be his co-accused.
The hearing continues.
