Gregor Haas: Police reveal evidence they claim links footy star Payne Haas's father to a notorious Mexican drug cartel - as he could face an Indonesian firing squad

Police have claimed that Gregor Johann Haas, the father of NRL stars Payne and Klese Haas, was involved with a notorious Mexican drug cartel before his arrest in the Philippines last week.

Gregor Johann Haas, 46, was detained by police in Cebu City in the Philippines on Wednesday. 

He is expected to be extradited to Jakarta to face drug trafficking charges in Indonesia. If convicted, he could face life imprisonment or execution by firing squad.

The Brisbane Broncos have vowed to stand by their star prop Payne while Gold Coast Titans forward Klese sent a message of support to his father after scoring a try against Newcastle on Saturday. 

Filipino police have revealed that Haas is accused of shipping methamphetamines to Indonesia from Mexico, concealed inside ceramic floor tiles. 

The drugs were allegedly seized by Indonesian authorities, leading to the severe charges against him.

Philippines authorities have stated that Haas allegedly worked with the Sinaloa drug cartel. 

'The drugs were seized by Indonesian authorities who later discovered via testimonies elicited from arrested drug couriers that the packages were sent by Haas from Guadalajara, Mexico,' Philippine authorities said.

Indonesian officials have accused Haas of attempting to smuggle more than five kilograms of methamphetamine into the country on December 11, 2023, hidden in floor tiles.

The Sinaloa Cartel, also known as the Guzmán-Zambada Organization or the Pacific Cartel, is a notorious international crime syndicate based in Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico. 

It is one of Mexico's oldest, largest, and most violent criminal groups, maintaining strong influence despite the arrests of its founder Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman and his son.

Philippine Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco hailed the coordinated effort between local, Indonesian, and Interpol investigators as 'a major accomplishment of the BI [Bureau of Immigration] in its continuing drive to flush out wanted foreign criminals in the country.'

However, the Philippine government has not yet confirmed whether it will allow Haas's extradition without assurances that he will not face the death penalty if convicted. 

Haas is currently being held in Manila, pending deportation proceedings.

ANU professor of international law Donald Rothwell suggested that Haas might be used as a bargaining tool in the Philippines' ongoing attempts to secure the return of Mary Jane Veloso, who has been on death row in Indonesia for more than a decade.

In 2010, Veloso traveled to Indonesia under the pretense of working as a maid but was caught with heroin in her luggage. She claims that recruiters hid the drugs in her bag without her knowledge, which is central to her plea for freedom.

Her case has garnered significant media attention in the Philippines, and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. faces pressure to negotiate her return.

Rothwell also said that Haas could contest his extradition in Philippine courts, potentially delaying Indonesia's efforts.

The last Australians executed in Indonesia were Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran in 2015. 

On Sunday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese reiterated Australia's opposition to the death penalty. 

'We will continue to make diplomatic representations in an appropriate way,' he said. 

'One of the things that the Australian government does is we stand up for Australian citizens, we make appropriate representations through diplomatic channels. And we'll be doing that on this occasion again.'