A former Rebels bikie nominee has been arrested for alleged cocaine importation, the man was allegedly found hiding in a secret compartment under a spa on the back patio of a property…
Mate Stipinovich was a notorious drug smuggler who was on the run from the police for six weeks, carrying a whopping 365 kilograms of cocaine with him, enough to last an entire year if used daily. He was tired of hiding and decided to order food delivery from Uber Eats, using his real name. The police immediately realized that their target was hiding in plain sight and raided the home where the delivery was to be made.
Stipinovich, who had been a nominee for the Rebels bikie, was hiding under a back patio spa, where he thought he was safe from the Australian authorities. However, the police managed to find him and arrested him on the spot. They had been hunting for him and his accomplices for six weeks, as they were suspected of drug trafficking.
The police had to negotiate with him for an hour before they finally arrested him. He had a firearm in a bag within arm’s reach, which could have been used to kill police officers if he had wanted to end his life in a high-stakes shootout with the police. The police had to use angle grinders to break down the roller door to get into the home.
The drug smuggler had gained international attention for giving away his location with a food delivery order from UberEats using his real name. The police had heavily armed officers on-site and even had a sniper keeping aim on the house.
“I could hear one of the officers saying, ‘we know you ordered Uber Eats. We know you’re in there, We heard them (the police) telling everyone (the neighbors) to stay in your lounge rooms and keep away from your windows,” the resident told the West Australian.
Stipinovich had been working with Aristides Avlonitis and Karl Whitburn to bring illegal drugs into Australia. However, their boat overturned, and they lost their bags of drugs. The AFP put out an alert for the three men who lied to cops about being on a fishing trip. They tracked Avlonitis to a rural home on February 15, 2023. They arrested Whitburn northeast of Perth on March 9, 2023.
The arrest of Stipinovich was the final nail in the coffin for the trio of drug smugglers. It was a long and arduous journey for the police, who had to cross at least two Australian states to track down the smugglers. The residents in the area were asked to stay inside and away from the windows while the police confronted the drug smuggler, who was armed and potentially dangerous to the officers and any bystanders in the area.
The police were able to successfully apprehend Stipinovich and put an end to his drug trafficking activities. The story of his downfall serves as a reminder that crime doesn’t pay and that the long arm of the law will eventually catch up to those who break it.
Sources: AWM, Ladbible, Thewest
