An alleged drug smuggler enjoyed barbecues with family and friends in Western Sydney only days before cutting off his electronic ankle monitoring bracelet, sources have revealed.
Police seized a black Range Rover with Queensland number plates after it was captured on CCTV driving through the M4 tunnel near Croydon towards Sydney's CBD only hours after Mostafa Baluch fled his Bayview home late on Monday.
Images show two men sitting in the front seat of the car. Police believe the 33-year-old wanted man may have been hiding in the back seat.
"To cut a bracelet off your ankle which has been imposed by the court shows a very serious intent to flee," Detective Superintendent Robert Critchlow said.
Mr Baluch is facing the possibility of a life sentence over an alleged attempt to import 900 kilograms of cocaine — with an estimated street value of $270 million — into Australia from Ecuador.
Initial intelligence suggested he may have taken a private plane from Bankstown Airport and escaped to Melbourne. The aircraft then circled back to Canberra before returning to Sydney.
Detectives now believe he may not have been on board the plane.
GPS data has been seized from the Range Rover and the investigation has shifted to a particular area of Sydney that has been placed under heavily surveillance.
Another line of inquiry is that Mr Baluch may have headed south to Victoria, with authorities there on high alert.
Despite fears that the accused may use his connections to flee overseas, police are confident the restaurateur remains in the country and is hiding out somewhere along the east coast.
Federal police and international authorities are assisting with the investigation.
Mr Baluch's disappearance came just four days after he was granted bail by Magistrate Michael Crompton, with his $4 million mansion overlooking Pittwater put up as surety.
His family still live in the Pittwater Road property, which police will now seize given Mr Baluch has breached his bail conditions.
Prosecutors last week had argued Mr Baluch was a flight risk, but he was granted release with strict conditions, sparking outrage from both sides of politics.
"The application of bail is something that magistrates have at their discretion — to say that I am disappointed is an understatement," Police Minister David Elliott said.
Mr Elliott said officers were concerned Mr Baluch would call on his international connections for help.
"The police are confident they know the direction he is going but it's certainly going to be very difficult for the police to track him down," he said.
NSW Labor has called for tougher bail laws for those accused of serious drug offences.
"I want to see this government bring forward laws that say if you import commercial quantities of hard drugs then you don't get bail," Shadow Police Minister Walt Secord said.
Anyone who sees Mr Baluch is urged not to approach him, but instead call triple-0 immediately.
