The main center of Lebanese organized crime is Sydney, with a significant community of 120,000, followed by . He had connections everywhere: judges, politicians. But while life behind bars is intended to be a deterrent for reoffending, it was where Hamzy thrived. McPherson decided to take Hakim under his wing and offered protection to the would-be gangster. Because of Hakims rising power and influence, he became the first prominent Lebanese criminal and, eventually, the unofficial godfather of the Lebanese community. Supporters including Rachad Alameddine (front) leave court after Talal Alameddine was given a 13-year sentence in 2018 for supplying the gun used to kill police accountant Curtis Cheng, Bilal Alameddine (left) could face more than five years in jail when he is sentenced on gun and drug running charges on December 11. 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. The angst between the two came to a head in 2013 during the botched shooting on Maha Hamzy, the aunt of Mejid and Bassam. One of the brawlers was spotted with a large knife in his hand. When the Pistol Licensing Act of 1927 was passed, gangs had a much more difficult time accessing guns. SYDNEY'S CRIME GANGS WIN DRUG WAR SITTING at the top of the 607 names of organised crime figures plying their evil trade in NSW was a former Hells Angel bikie called Wayne Schneider. After finishing school, Basha became involved in more serious crimes. Ibrahim came out and spoke with the heavily-tattooed Haouchar and calmed the situtation, but police eventually arrested and charged the would be intruder. WhatsApp chat is just for everyday banter (that's 'Why the last-minute delay?' Sydneys underworld is surprisingly diverse, with gang members and mobsters coming from every background. Daily Mail Australia is in no way suggesting that John Ibrahim is involved in an underworld war or is part of any crime group. According to the NSW Police, Lebanese crime families have started to corner the market on drug-dealing, causing them to clash with other gangs in the city. Osman was interrogated after returning from the Turkey and Syria border in 2015, as it was a designated no-go zone. Police allege Masood Zakaria, 26, and prominent rapper Ali Younes, 24, are working with the Alameddine crime network, which is involved in ongoing gangland wars in the area. All rights reserved. rancho bernardo country club membership cost; About. 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. The Ones That Didnt Make It: Australia-Bound Refugees Languish in Indonesia, Circle Sentencing: Alternative Justice in Australia, Wildfires Scorch Australia As Temperatures Reach Record Highs, Nelson Mandelas Extraordinary Life: An Interactive Timeline, How Did Gaddafi Die? Several other gang members were seriously injured. Middle Eastern gangs, on the other hand, have made extortion against nightclubs, ram raids, and car theft more common in the CDB. 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.'. Hed also provide these establishments with protection from other violent gangs. Six male members of the Alameddine crew are already in jail or before the courts, facing charges related to guns, drugs, violence and organised crime. 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. 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. Khaled and Lola Hamzy moved their family to Australia in the 1970s as civil war erupted in Lebanon. Thats whats so disturbing., Lebanese-born educator Keysar Trad believes criminality in the community is a by-product of overly strict parents who expect their children to excel at school, and racism in the classroom and playground that prevents them from doing so. This makes sense because of the presence in Australia and Asia of the triad criminal organisations, which are extremely efficient and Keep Reading, The so-called Mr Asia syndicate existed from 1976 to 1979 and was the first major heroin importer and distributor in Australia. NSW Police assistant commissioner Peter Thurtell claimed the ongoing gang wars on the streets of western Sydney are drug related. Finally, the rural areas of Sydney are home to small-time gangs who act as enforcers for the bigger gangs in the city. Lebanon is facing economic collapse. He became a Sydney celebrity because of his close relationship during the 1980s with corrupt police detective Roger Rogerson. As part of their hunt for Mejid's killer, NSW Police are also investigating a brawl between members of the Hamzy crew and associates of another major group, the Alammedines, in the days before he died. Once Lebanese kids gets involved in gangs, theyre killed or in prison before they get a chance to grow up., There is no data available on the prevalence of criminality in Sydneys Lebanese community because people who are arrested are not legally required to give information on their ethnicity or heritage. Our contributors include the great investigators Bob Bottom and Al McCoy, and the wonderfully insightful Sydney artist Michael Fitzjames. They believed that person was a member of the Haouchar crime gang. While less well known than younger brother Bassam, 41, who is serving more than 40 years for a spree of killings and gang-related crimes, Mejid was still a key underworld figure. He was stabbed in prison last week. The Gangland War. 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. He was accepted in a lot of different circles and he had a bit of class. "His son Walid came here several years ago to choose a wife," says Ahmad. The shooting murder of Mejid Hamzy (left), older brother of notorious criminal Bassam (right), has sparked fears of an all-out war between criminal clans fighting for control of Sydney's west, (L to R) Criminals Rachad Alameddine and his brother Jihad pose for a photo with their cousins Hamdi and Rafat. Lebanese organized crime syndicates generally are active globally . There are two significant sources of crime in Sydney: Who Are The Top Sydney Crime Bosses/Families? For the past decades the Arab crime families had controlled 78% of Germany's underworld activities. Before we can solve it we need to understand it, he says, and Im not sure we do.. Tensions in the city's south-west and western suburbs are at a long-time high. 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You could go and get advice off him about anything. 'What we've seen since back in the day with these families is that they move out for a new life in Australia, and will do anything to avoid going back to where they're from. Just recently, in July of this year, a fight broke out in broad daylight in a busy intersection outside Westfield Parramatta. All products are independently selected, tested or recommended by our team of experts.If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission. Crime families exchange gunfire and trade narcotics with apparent immunity; arrestees in Bankstown are 60 times more likely to use heroin than those in other parts in Australia. Sydney has been shocked by a series of assassinations and drive-by shootings amid a turf war between two organised crime gangs - the Alameddine Family and the Hamzy clan. He has since fled to Lebanon but he remains a suspect in a number of murders in Australia, however the countries have no extradition treaty, Osman Haouchar (left) carries the coffin at the funeral for murdered gangster Hamad Assaad. Hamzy, 44, was gunned down in the driveway of his home at Condell Park at 7.30am on Monday, October 17 by two balaclava-clad gunmen. Mohammad, better known as 'Butch', arrived at John Ibrahim's clifftop home and attempted to provoke a confrontation over money. I was lucky; I got a second chance. Jihad Alameddine (right) has pleaded guilty to a charges including drug possession, drug driving and possessing equipment for administering drugs. A former member of his brother Bassam's gang Brothers 4 Life, Mejid was connected to several underworld killings. 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. Similarly, the Alameddine associates are banned from going between Picnic Point in Blaxland, and Villawood and Strathfield. Most mob bosses dont last long as they are taken out by rival gangs or police operations. meadowbrook country club estates; michael mullen obituary; pamela gluckin obituary new york; antonio tonyboy floirendo jr biography In that 8-year period, several men from each family were arrested, charged, and convicted for their crimes. A former associate of Mejid's said his death really could spark an underworld war. A burnt out car, believed to have been the one used by the two gunmen, was found on a nearby suburban street THE HAMZYS Khaled and Lola Hamzy moved their family to Australia in the 1970s as civil. He did a stint in jail in the late-2000s, but was last year cleared on drug trafficking charges. Curious about these gangs and Australian families of crime? 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. 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. Criminal activity in New South Wales has been at an all-time low, and Sydney has even been dubbed the 5th safest city in the world. Today the War on Drugs continues to affect many lives in ways ranging from the trivial to the profound. 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. So the problem we have now in Sydney is a ramification of what has been going on in Lebanon.. Unwelcome at school, too much discipline at home, so where do these teenagers go to find respect? Trad asks. Hes also famous for having spearheaded most of the citys criminal activity, alongside Abe Mr Sin Saffron and George Freeman. 'We will be targeting associates and known offenders. Most gangs settle in Sydneys rural areas, where police presence isnt as strong as it is in the city. 'They are organised criminal groups targeting each other,' Asst Comm Thurtell said. Despite being accused of murder, assault, race-fixing, bribery, illegal gambling and. From the Russian Mafia in Sydney to executives at big-time banks involved in money laundering, here are some of the most infamous Australian crime bosses: If theres one boss to rule them all, its Fred Paddles Anderson. Bilal had been serving time on a murder charge which was later downgraded to him being an accessory. The angst between the two came to a head in 2013 during the botched shooting on Maha Hamzy, the aunt of Mejid and Bassam. Write by: . Police believe up to 5,000 mafia members are operating in Australia, in league with their colleagues in Italy. Days before the 34-year-old was fatally shot in the heart of Sydney, NSW Police had gone to his home and warned him that his life was in danger. One reason is that energetic and ambitious men who have difficulty obtaining legitimate opportunities turn to illegal ones. The important thing to remember is to always report any suspicious activity to the authorities, and if a situation seems sketchy, stay away! Supporters including Rachad Alameddine (front) leave court after Talal Alameddine was given a 13-year sentence in 2018 for supplying the gun used to kill police accountant Curtis Cheng, Bilal Alameddine (left) could face more than five years in jail when he is sentenced on gun and drug running charges on December 11. Professor Kennedy, who spent years investigating organised crime, is critical of the recent heavy-handed response taken by NSW Police to large criminal enterprises. 'Organised crime is not going anywhere, you can't regulate it, and so you need them to self-regulate. [4] Some of the more notorious Arab mafia families include . Manhunt under way after shooting in Sydney suburb. Mafiosi within "Al Cossa Kella" don't share any profit through a communal fund. How Matt Hancock and Priti Patel shared stories of heavy-handed police Astrologer Russell Grant admits he was 'in denial' after being diagnosed with a brain tumour as Strictly JANET STREET-PORTER: You're not a teenager, Mr Hancock. In 1999, his son Bassam shot dead a teenager during a night out in Sydney and was himself jailed for 21 years. He long blamed Michael Ibrahim, the younger brother of famed Kings Cross identity John. It was non-stop, he says. But Sydneys current underworld has fractured into several groups, all competing for control. 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. '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. The gang was active until 1999, when their leader was murdered outside a Western Sydney pub after his release from prison. 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. 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. In Germany these clans mostly settled in Berlin, Bremen and Essen where they became involved in narcotics trafficking, weapons trafficking, extortion, prostitution, illegal gambling, car theft, money laundering and armed robbery. The secret WhatsApp mode that lets you EDIT texts after you've sent them. In the violent feud, one of Mrs Darwiche's sons, AbdulQader, was shot dead and another was convicted of two murders. 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. The one-eyed pallbearer was detained in 2015 after returning from Syria, where he claimed he was doing 'humanitarian work'. Until that time there had been little demand for heroin, and indeed most serious criminals, like the rest of society, regarded heroin dealers with contempt. Similarly, the Alameddine associates are banned from going between Picnic Point in Blaxland, and Villawood and Strathfield. Then click on any blue marker to find out more. Over recent years Strike Force Raptor against bikies and the middle-eastern crime squad has seen criminals riled up and retaliate. ', Mahmoud Hamzy (pictured), a fellow Brothers 4 Life member, was also shot dead in 2013 in an attempt on another cousin, Mohammed 'Little Crazy' Hamzy. Bilal had been serving time on a murder charge which was later downgraded to him being an accessory. Adnan "Eddie" Darwiche, the general of the Darwiche family, controlled drug runs stretching from Punchbowl to Penrith, leaving the outskirts, from . Most of the gangs in Sydney are often offshoots of bigger, foreign organisations. Farm Heroes Saga, the #4 Game on iTunes. Lebanese Family Terrorises Neighbourhood Redfern Police Station in Sydney. Under a large number of refugees, there were also several extended clans that already in Lebanon were deeply entrenched in organized crime. And since their areas dont have a lot of police presence, they act a lot more openly and get into turf wars quite often. In 1994 I was stationed at Redfern. Play it now! Three Australian-Lebanese crime families in Sydney the Darwiches, Razzaks, and Fahdas were involved in a series of killings and other violent acts from 2001 to 2009. Although he never committed any murder himself, this standover man ordered more hits than any other organised crime figure in Sydney. NZ Herald. . 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. Jihad Alameddine (right) has pleaded guilty to a charges including drug possession, drug driving and possessing equipment for administering drugs. He (Mejid) was one of the biggest names in Sydney,' they said. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. 'Bassam was big but Mejid is a different breed. Talal Alameddine is the most infamous in his family, despite having numerous criminals among his relatives. 14 Dorchester St, Sydney, Nova Scotia B1P 5Y8 Canada +1 902-562-3412 Website.