The main activities of Arab gangs in Australia are narcotics and weapons trafficking, extortion, prostitution, car theft and money laundering. In 2013 he was caught on recordings from behind bars vowing to kill Michael and his older brother Sam once he got out of prison. During the 1990s, Lebanese-Australian gangs took hold of Sydney. Tensions in the city's south-west and western suburbs are at a long-time high. Its activities were largely Keep Reading. He didn't know that a notorious group of extended Lebanese-Muslim families, descended from the lawless hill tribes of Northern Lebanon, lived in Telopea Street. While Talal will be off the streets for at least the next decade, his five relatives have continued to develop into a prominent crime entourage in western Sydney. 2023 TIME USA, LLC. Crime is an essential part of the city's history. In the past there was a code among crime gangs in Sydney that bodies in the street were bad for business, says Michael Duffy, the author of Drive By, a new novel about a Lebanese crime family and the efforts of a bigoted, dispirited police force to lock them up. Hes known as the true Australian godfather his influence reached all corners of Australia, from Queensland to Victoria and beyond. Police swoop on Sydney crime families in mass raids, 115 people charged By 9News Staff 9:49pm Jan 30, 2022 Sydney's decade-long gang war is believed to have been smashed by police in just 48 hours, with 115 people charged during a two-day operation targeting alleged members, associates and supporters of organised criminal networks. The street side brawl came a day before a series of shootings at homes linked to both a Hamzy and Alameddine relative. Money laundering gangs take up most operations in the city, moving cash in and out of casinos and banks. Retired NSW detective turned Western Sydney University lecturer Michael Kennedy has seen generations of organised crime groups in Sydney. Hes also famous for having spearheaded most of the citys criminal activity, alongside Abe Mr Sin Saffron and George Freeman. Cloudy. One of the brawlers was spotted with a large knife in his hand. Ahmad estimates that there are now up to 300 members of the Chaouk family living in Melbourne and Sydney. 943K views 1 year ago Police raid on luxury car firm part of aggressive crackdown on deadly crime family feud; combatants are the Alameddine family and the Hamzy family in Sydney,. A contract gunman and an associate of Osman Houchar, Assaad was believed to have been the trigger man. The street side brawl came a day before a series of shootings at homes linked to both a Hamzy and Alameddine relative. jeff zalaznick wedding lake compounce swap meet 2022 lebanese crime families sydney jyoti amge leg surgery video Uncategorized por | Publicada febrero 27, 2023 In that 8-year period, several men from each family were arrested, charged, and convicted for their crimes. Previously, criminal gangs were ruled by one family or figure, similar to the Russian mafia. All rights reserved. The Asian gangs in Sydney were infamous for street-level heroin trade. Originally from Lebanon, Hakim established his empire in Australia after emigrating to Sydney in 1952. Criminal organizations however often transcend religious and cultural barriers, with members of the Sunni communities all involved in the same criminal organizations.[3]. Professor Kennedy, who spent years investigating organised crime, is critical of the recent heavy-handed response taken by NSW Police to large criminal enterprises. But with drive-by shootings, the nature of criminality in Sydney has changed. Lennie McPherson went from a boy sentenced to juvy to one of Australias most notorious career criminals in the 20th century. The attacks were reported as a war between two rival Lebanese crime families, the Darwiches and the Razzaks. Do not sell or share my personal information. . The family conflict between the Lebanese-Australian clans involved multiple murders, shootings, assaults and weapons thefts in western Sydney from 2001 to 2009. His name wasOsman Haouchar. 'You could say he is definitely a person of interest in a host of crimes, including murder,' a NSW Police source told The Daily Telegraph. Osman was interrogated after returning from the Turkey and Syria border in 2015, as it was a designated no-go zone. Our contributors include the great investigators Bob Bottom and Al McCoy, and the wonderfully insightful Sydney artist Michael Fitzjames. But after seeing a close friend covered with petrol and set alight, he turned over a new leaf and began writing The Combination, a film about Lebanese schoolchildren who get caught up with gangs that won critical acclaim on release in 2010. Sydney was founded by criminals who for years formed a majority of its population. The family name first came onto the radar of police in the mid-1990s, when Khaled was jailed for his role in a drug ring. In recent years 26-year-old Talal's brother Rafat, 28, and cousins Bilal, 21, Jihad, 31, Rachad (sometimes 'Richad'), 28, and Hamdi Alameddine 27, have all faced serious criminal matters in court. You just want more, Basha says. Ibrahim came out and spoke with the heavily-tattooed Haouchar and calmed the situtation, but police eventually arrested and charged the would be intruder. When the Pistol Licensing Act of 1927 was passed, gangs had a much more difficult time accessing guns. His crew won't take this lightly. Terror in Sydney: The Unspeakable Crimes of Bilal Skaf's Lebanese Rape Gang (Crime Documentary) 'Whoever pulled this stunt is a madman for sure. Oscar Cainer tells all. 'But what you've got to do is get these communities to trust you. NSW Police had reportedly believed he was involved in the shooting death of Hamad Assaad, who was gunned down in his driveway in 2016. Brothers for Life, also Brothers 4 Life was a Middle Eastern crime gang, active in south-western suburbs of Sydney, Australia.They came to public prominence largely from internal disputes between the Bankstown chapter and the Blacktown chapter that resulted in a number of shootings in October 2012 to February 2014 that killed two members. 'It shouldn't be any surprise that organised crime crews remain staunch and refuse to stand in the witness box and give each other up,' Professor Kennedy said. 'This guy was well connected and loved by heaps of heavies. Lebanese organized crime syndicates generally are active . Talal Alameddine is the most infamous in his family, despite having numerous criminals among his relatives. Mafiosi within "Al Cossa Kella" don't share any profit through a communal fund. Lebanese organized crime is active in the country of Lebanon itself, as well as in countries and areas with a large Arab community, most notably United Kingdom, Australia, Germany and Canada also in the Triple Frontier in South America. 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What we found was that in a matter of weeks they were excelling the other kids in school. He did a stint in jail in the late-2000s, but was last year cleared on drug trafficking charges. It is unclear exactly how many people belong to the 10 families thought to "run" various areas of the Neuklln district of Berlin (the arrests made this week also happened in this area), with. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group. Italian crime figures Carl Williams, Jason Moran, Mark Moran, Mick Gatto, and Alphonse Gangitano split up into factions with each of them fighting for power and influence. country of residence flight check in; nathaniel rateliff gallagher way; filming locations for she out of my league. Killing and shooting and illegal activity have become part of daily life. A well known Lebanese family who lived not far from the old Redfern Police Academy were terrorising the locals with random assaults, drug dealing, robberies and violent anti-social behaviour. Salim, 18, and Toufik, 64, were targeted as they sat inside a ute at Osgood Street around 8.55am. He was accepted in a lot of different circles and he had a bit of class. These guys are the cream of the crop when it comes to Australian crime bosses, overseeing and commanding people all across New South Wales. After finishing school, Basha became involved in more serious crimes. In the September 2011 trial of Anthony Perish and his Keep Reading, Smith was born in 1944 and was a major criminal, involved particularly in armed robbery, heroin trafficking, and murder. Facing racism at school and pressure at home, children from Middle Eastern families in Australia are dragged into world of organized crime and ethnic bloodletting, Lebanese youths are searched by Australian police in Sydney. But below the surface of this lower-middle class success story is a Middle Eastern ghetto terrorized by members of its community. With all of the gangs and crime families running around, should you be worried? A source close to the Alameddines said: 'For years there were multiple families in that area, but most of the other ones were too focused on each other in the end.'. His cousin Mahmoud, a fellow Brothers 4 Life member, was also shot dead in 2013 as he was caught in the middle of an attempt on another cousin,Mohammed 'Little Crazy' Hamzy. In the immediate aftermath of Mejid's death, police banned members of his crew, the Alameddine crew and others from certain parts of Sydney their rivals were known to haunt in an attempt to avoid an all-out gang war. Finally, the rural areas of Sydney are home to small-time gangs who act as enforcers for the bigger gangs in the city. Most arrested gangsters over the years all looked like ordinary citizens. In total 22 people were banned from certain areas in Sydney's west and east. In 1999, his son Bassam shot dead a teenager during a night out in Sydney and was himself jailed for 21 years. The angst between the two came to a head in 2013 during the botched shooting on Maha Hamzy, the aunt of Mejid and Bassam. ', Pools of blood and ripped clothing lie on the ground outside the house of a friend where Mejid Hamzy stumbled to after being shot in the front yard of his own home on Monday, October 19, Blood stained shirts and other ripped clothing was taken away in evidence bags by NSW Police, A burnt out car, believed to have been the one used by the two gunmen, was found on a nearby suburban street. In total 22 people were banned from certain areas in Sydney's west and east. Professor Kennedy, who spent years investigating organised crime, is critical of the recent heavy-handed response taken by NSW Police to large criminal enterprises. It was non-stop, he says. 2015 Sydney Crime Museum. He was brought undone by a personal killing. 'You will often see that organised crime groups keep things in the family, because it brings a level of trust and unity, but also they don't want to share what they have. February 27, 2023 equitable estoppel california No Comments . Talal Alameddine, who delivered the gun used to kill NSW Police accountant Curtis Cheng in 2015, took on Bassam Hamzy in an exercise yard at Goulburn's Supermax Prison. Karl Bonnette shares: "Fred was the man; he was the smartest of all of them. 104 reviews #5 of 88 Restaurants in Sydney $$ - $$$ Lebanese Mediterranean Middle Eastern. The mafia came to Australia with the Italian cane cutters who arrived in Queensland in the 1920s, and grew as the Italian population swelled with post-war migration. WhatsApp chat is just for everyday banter (that's 'Why the last-minute delay?' Bilal's angst towards the Ibrahims was echoed by his cousin Mohammad last year when he tried to stand over nightclub boss John Ibrahim. Sydney crime bosses, on the other hand, tend to look more like seasoned thugs. Since late 2019, the country's currency has lost over 90% of its value, and people's life savings are locked up in banks that have imposed discretionary capital. A source close to Bassam told Daily Mail Australia he was 'shattered' at news of his brother's death, which came just months after the passing of his father. In analogy with Australia, Arab organized crime also came to Germany following the Lebanese Civil War. Photo / Thinkstock. The Gangland War. Look what happened in Germany in the 1940s., Selda Dagistanli, a lecturer in criminology at the University of Western Sydney, agrees that, When you attach criminal behavior to ethnicity, thats racist, and it makes you question the motivation of the people saying it., New South WalesPolice Deputy Commissioner Nick Kaldas says the problem in Bankstown and other parts of southwestern Sydney is not as bad as it seems. They and their crew have established a stronghold around Merrylands - an area criminals have fought for control for years. While Talal's involvement in the murder of Mr Cheng has seen him become the most infamous member of the clan, he is not the only one to have landed himself in strife. Australia's Pacific gangland. But these days its worse. Lebanese organized crime is active in the country of Lebanon itself, as well as in countries and areas with a large Arab community, most notably United Kingdom, Australia, Germany and in the Triple Frontier in South America. Talal Alameddine, who delivered the gun used to kill NSW Police accountant Curtis Cheng in 2015, took on Bassam Hamzy in an exercise yard at Goulburn's Supermax Prison. The notorious gangland war led by underground kingpins resulted in 36 deaths over 12 years starting from 1998. Asian gangs in Sydney are the most prominent members of the criminal underworld; they control most of the money laundering that goes on in the city, often in the heart of the urban areas. Today the War on Drugs continues to affect many lives in ways ranging from the trivial to the profound. Automated News Feed Subreddit No Censorship, Just News. A former member of his brother Bassam's gang Brothers 4 Life, Mejid was connected to several underworld killings. But when I was older and more Lebanese kids moved to my area, we formed a gang so we could protect each other and I started bullying back. Later that year, a second fight ensued. Unwelcome at school, too much discipline at home, so where do these teenagers go to find respect? Trad asks. That family member has since been revealed to be Rafat Alameddine. A source close to the Alameddines said: 'For years there were multiple families in that area, but most of the other ones were too focused on each other in the end.'. According to Sydney police on. Find out what Uber drivers really think of you! He set up the gang Brothers 4 Life, and with a bevvy of mobile phones hidden in his cell, ran a sophisticated drug and crime ring. I was lucky; I got a second chance. The killings were straight out of a mafia . 'It shouldn't be any surprise that organised crime crews remain staunch and refuse to stand in the witness box and give each other up,' Professor Kennedy said. But one things for sure: foreign criminal investment in Sydney has largely replaced domestic gangs. The first community of Lebanese in Australia were Maronite Christians, quickly followed by a large Muslim community. They can expect us to be in their face. NSW Police assistant commissioner Peter Thurtell claimed the ongoing gang wars on the streets of western Sydney are drug related. He claimed he was there doing humanitarian work and has never been charged with a criminal offence. Bassam Hamzy is one of NSW's most notorious prisoners having been convicted of killing, drug and gang offences. Daily Mail Australia is in no way suggesting that John Ibrahim is involved in an underworld war or is part of any crime group. However, many others could have been selected, as the gangs have an extensive history of crime and no particular hierarchy. Your local builder, cashier, or your deli guy could all be criminals! He befriended members of the NSW police (selling rissoles in the old NSW Police Academy canteen) as well as underworld figures like Graham Croc Palmer and Lennie McPherson. 'You could say he is definitely a person of interest in a host of crimes, including murder,' a NSW Police source told The Daily Telegraph. In place of those bans, police have reportedly introduced Serious Crime Prevention Orders (SCPOs), giving them even greater limits on what they can do and how they can associate. George Freeman was a bookmaker who was involved in organised crime in Sydney during the 70s and 80s. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. Despite being accused of murder, assault, race-fixing, bribery, illegal gambling and. So the problem we have now in Sydney is a ramification of what has been going on in Lebanon.. Powerful members involved in criminal activity tend to come and Keep Reading, Earlierwe met Redfern-based Frank Hakim, the first major Lebanese criminal in Sydney, and younger men such as Louis Bayeh and Danny Karam. 'We will be targeting associates and known offenders. Bassam will not be eligible for parole until at least 2042. Khaled and Lola Hamzy moved their family to Australia in the 1970s as civil war erupted in Lebanon. In Sydney, Disaffected Lebanese Kids Caught in Spiraling Gang Violence Facing racism at school and pressure at home, children from Middle Eastern families in Australia are dragged into world.