Australians arrested in Serbia over $500m drug bust should be released, lawyer says
Updated
A lawyer for two Australian men detained in Serbia over alleged links to a major Sydney drug bust has accused Australian authorities of violating human rights.
Rohan Arnold, 43, and Tristan Waters, 34, were arrested — along with David Campbell, 48 — after police stormed a luxury hotel in Belgrade last week.
Officers seized a bag containing around $1 million in foreign currency from the hotel lobby.
Police allege the men have links to a $500-million cocaine bust from a ship which arrived in Sydney from China last April.
Mr Arnold and Mr Waters are being held in a detention centre for foreigners awaiting extradition, just outside the Serbian capital.
Their lawyer Jaksa Pekovic said no charges or extradition papers had been filed and there were no grounds to continue to hold the men.
Mr Pekovic has accused Australian authorities of breaching human rights, claiming Mr Waters has a serious health condition and cannot access proper medical care inside the centre.
Mr Pekovic says Australian embassy staff have visited the pair in custody.
Topics: drug-offences, cocaine, police, serbia
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