Greek police have arrested Melbourne businessman Christopher Perrone, 32, at Athens International Airport on July 31, acting on an Interpol warrant issued at Australia’s request.
Perrone is wanted over his alleged role in the 2023 daylight execution of underworld figure Robert Issa in Melbourne.
Perrone’s arrest will trigger a series of hearings in Greece to determine whether he should be extradited to Australia.
With Greek courts closed throughout August, the first hearing is unlikely for at least a month. Perrone has yet to appoint a lawyer overseas.
Australia and Greece are bound by a 1991 bilateral agreement requiring extradition for offences punishable by at least one year in prison.
Requests must be made in writing through diplomatic channels, include an arrest warrant, and detail the allegations.
Donald Rothwell, international law professor at the Australian National University, said the outcome could depend on whether Perrone contests the request, noting, “Another critical factor is how deep are the pockets of the individual… to engage lawyers in Greece.”
He added that the Interpol notice indicated Victoria Police had met the requirements for international certification and that “the fact that the Greek police have acted upon it is also positive.”
Victoria Police this week announced a $1 million reward for information about Issa’s killing, aiming to identify those “further up the chain.”
Homicide squad head Detective Inspector Dean Thomas said, “We have already made clear we will do everything we can to identify every single person involved… and now there are 1 million reasons to come forward with any information you may have.”
