ABC withdraws Four Corners programs by sacked reporter Mahmood Fazal over accuracy concerns

The ABC has withdrawn the Four Corners programs Meth Highway and Cocaine Nation by sacked reporter Mahmood Fazal due to concerns about accuracy.

"This action has been taken following concerns identified about the veracity of certain sources used in both programs," a statement from ABC management said.

Fazal's employment was terminated after an ABC investigation into his appearance on a podcast with a former underworld figure last year, ABC managing director Hugh Marks confirmed at a Senate estimates hearing in May.

The ABC's statement said the decision to remove the Four Corners programs was separate to the investigation into Fazal's appearance on the podcast.

It said the matter had been referred to the ABC Ombudsman for an independent review of the programs' compliance with editorial standards.

"The ABC will consider whether any further action will be required once that review is complete," it said.

In Meth Highway, released in 2024, Fazal investigated the crystal meth pipeline from Melbourne to a major source of production in South-East Asia, the program said at the time.

In 2023, Cocaine Nation covered the "shadowy underworld" of Australia's cocaine supply chain with "unprecedented access to the people involved in the trade", according to the episode's description.

It is not clear which parts of the episodes have been called into question.

The withdrawal comes at a turbulent time for the broadcaster after the sudden departure of news director Justin Stevens in May.

Mr Marks confirmed he and Stevens disagreed about the direction of the organisation and announced a replacement, Reuters executive editor Simon Robinson, the following day.

Fazal, a former member of the Mongols bikie club, is an award-winning journalist specialising in crime, violence, imprisonment and terrorism.

Before working at Four Corners, he was an investigative reporter for ABC RN's Background Briefing.

Prior to joining the ABC, he worked for VICE as a senior staff writer and host of the series Violent Times.

His reporting has appeared in The Guardian, Rolling Stone, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Monthly and The Saturday Paper.

Fazal used his contacts to line up crime stories and investigations, including with gang members.

He has been contacted for comment.

Joel Tozer, who previously led 7.30, was appointed executive producer of Four Corners in December 2025.

As one of his first management changes, he appointed Patricia Drum to the role of editor, commissioning and standards.

The job's advertisement said the role would be charged with "leading commissioning and standards to maintain the quality and integrity of the ABC's flagship investigative journalism program".