According to NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb, underworld players suspected of being related to a rash of unsolved gangland murders in Sydney were apprehended in large-scale narcotics operations.
Since October, heavily-armed cops from two organized crime taskforces, Erebus and Hawk, have detained 45 people, seized eight weapons, a hydraulic press, and more than 20 kilograms of MDMA in state-wide raids, according to police.
Taskforce Erebus arrested 18 individuals on Tuesday after raiding 29 residences suspected of operating a $250,000-per-week ‘dial-a-dealer’ cocaine operation.
Images from the raids show accused drug dealers handcuffed, face down on the ground as officers in full tactical gear from Strike Force Raptor watch on.
Members of the notorious Alameddine crime network were among those taken into custody following the 10-month long organised crime investigation.
Commissioner Webb made an appearance on morning TV Friday in an attempt to quell public fears that police have lost control of the streets after 13 deadly shootings in the past 18 months on Sydney’s streets.
She was asked by Karl Stefanovic on the Today show if police have ‘any leads’ on some of the highly-planned hits which often involve high-tech tracking devices and two burnt out luxury getaway cars left in neighbouring suburbs.
‘We believe that some of those in custody during this week are linked, she said.
‘But certainly it’s an ongoing investigation, it’s a great inroads this week just to get these people off the street.’
There were 36 phones seized in the raids alleged to be part of the alleged dial-a-dealer syndicate with one of the phones having more than 700 customers.
‘Without access to those contacts… we believe we have really nipped this in the bud,’ Ms Webb said.
‘It’s a very complex web, though. We are talking about a whole network of people involved in this.
‘It’s not just the importers, we are talking about distributors, we are talking about street level and the enablers who have actually supported these people in this enterprise. We have really disrupted this.’
Operation Hawke which has now launched state-wide, contains specialist units and commands across NSW and is focused on associates and facilitators of Sydney’s organised crime networks.
Detective Superintendent Jason Weinstein said on Friday police had seen success in disrupting Sydney’s drug supply but also know the ‘tentacles of illicit activity stretch far beyond our cities.’
‘NSW attracts around 40 per cent of Australia’s national organised crime population – many of whom attempt to evade the attention of police by operating outside of the Sydney metropolitan area,’ he said.
Police estimate the sale of prohibited drugs in NSW is worth at least $3.7billion a year at street level and is a root cause of the state’s recent spate of killings.
‘These arrests send a clear message to anyone involved in organised crime; that we are aware of your illicit activities and will hold you accountable irrespective of your location,’ Det Supt Weinstein said.
Police say 23 kg of ecstasy, 2.5 kg of cocaine and a substance suspected of being methylamphetamine, collectively worth an estimated $4 million, were seized at two properties at Fairfield in Sydney’s west on Tuesday afternoon.
In the Hunter Valley, a search at the home of a Life and Death bikie gang member recovered two rifles a pistol, 350 rounds of ammunition, gel blasters, an electronic stun device, drugs and cash on Wednesday.
The 49-year-old has been charged with 33 offences.
Two revolvers were also found during a stolen car search at Summer Hill in Sydney’s inner west, while a shotgun, other prohibited weapons, drugs, $30,000 cash and stolen goods were seized in Riverina house raids in southern NSW.
