The head of an outlawed Australian motorcycle gang, who left the country more than two years ago, was found dead in Turkey on Monday, the Daily Telegraph reported.
Erkan Keskin, also known as “Eric the Wolf,” was head of the Lone Wolf gang and faced drug trafficking and kidnapping charges in two Australian states, according to the Daily Telegraph. The cause of the 44-year-old’s death had not been confirmed, it said.
Keskin had amassed a $50 million fortune, according to police estimates.
Citing police sources, the Daily Telegraph said Keskin’s wife had contacted the Australian embassy about bringing his body back to Australia.
Keskin remained control of the Lone Wolf bikie gangs and considered one of Australia’s biggest importers of drugs, despite having left the country two years ago, it said.
Keskin was on a select list of over a dozen people on the Australian Priorised Organised Target, which meant he was considered one of the country’s biggest crime threats.
A former Turkish soldier, Keskin is believed to be behind at least five murders in Sydney over the past seven years, it said.
Keskin is the second Australian of Turkish descent linked to organised crime to make headlines over the past year.
In June of last year, crime boss Hakan Ayık, who has remained on Australia’s Most Wanted lists since 2010, unwittingly helped the FBI with the arrest of hundreds of criminals through the use of an encrypted messaging app, BBC reported.
Australian and Turkish media outlets at reported at the time that Ayık was living a life of luxury in Istanbul, Turkey.
Ahval