Bronco star Payne Haas’ father Gregor Johann Haas arrested in the Philippines over alleged drug smuggling plot

The father of NRL Broncos player Payne Haas has been arrested in the Philippines for an alleged drug smuggling plot that could see him face the death penalty.

The 46-year-old was arrested in Cebu City on Wednesday and now faces extradition to Indonesia.

“We suspect there are networks all over Asia and we also suspect there are networks in Australia,” National Narcotics Agency spokesman Sulistjo Pujo Hartono told the newspaper.

“We have good cooperation with the Australian police, so we will work with them as well.”

Indonesian authorities are looking for Haas after five kilograms of methamphetamine were found in December, according to local media outlet Tempo.

Haas also allegedly has ties to a Mexican drug cartel, according to multiple local news outlets, and was discovered under the false name Fernando Tremendo Chimenea.

Immigration Bureau Chief Rendell Si told GMA Integrated News that the arrest was the result of a coordinated effort with US and Indonesian anti-narcotics agencies.

“His search was quite challenging because he knows that the law is looking for him, so he uses different passports or identity documents so that he can move freely while hiding,” Sai said in an English translation in Filipino.