Dutch police have arrested the alleged head of one of the world’s biggest drugs gangs during a stop-over at Schiphol airport.

Tse Chi Lop – a Chinese-born Canadian national – is said to be the head of The Company, which dominates a $70bn illegal drugs market across Asia, Reuters reported. He was on board a plane en route for Canada at the time of his arrest.

He was picked up on an Australian arrest warrant and Australia will now seek his extradition.

Australia believes Tse Chi Lop’s gang is responsible for up to 70% of the illegal drugs entering the country. He has been compared to Mexican drugs lord Joaquin ‘El Chapo’ Guzman because of the scale of his business dealings.