A former member of his brother Bassam's gang Brothers 4 Life, Mejid was connected to several underworld killings. 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. Most of the crime families the squad deals with are "from the same three places in north Lebanon: Tripoli, el-Minieh and Akkar." Sydney's Lebanese community, estimated at 300,000, is the largest in Australia with the majority having arrived at Malcolm Fraser's discretion during the Lebanese civil war. Its difficult to say whos top dog in Sydneys criminal underworld at any given moment. 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. 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. Play it now! Killing and shooting and illegal activity have become part of daily life. Often different rival criminal families are interlocked in feuds, resulting in a fair amount of violence. And given the revolving trend of crime in the city, sometimes bosses lie low or act via a proxy, making the head figures hard to pin down. 'You don't give them a green light by any means, but you have an open dialogue so that you can go to them and say "this is a problem" and they will act. 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. Daily Mail Australia is not suggesting that Rafat Alameddine was responsible for, or in any way involved, in the shooting. Ted Cruz accuses AG Merrick Garland of ignoring threats to Supreme Court justices and crisis pregnancy centers in VERY heated Senate exchange, AG Garland says every prisoner 'deserves dignity' when asked if 'biological males' should be in female jails - as Republicans grill him on the Hunter Biden investigation, fentanyl deaths and rising crime. Professor Kennedy, who spent years investigating organised crime, is critical of the recent heavy-handed response taken by NSW Police to large criminal enterprises. Originally from Lebanon, Hakim established his empire in Australia after emigrating to Sydney in 1952. Mohammad, better known as 'Butch',arrived at John's clifftop home and attempted to provoke a confrontation over money. In 1994 I was stationed at Redfern. If I opened up my lunchbox and pulled out a Lebanese roll, I would get hassled. [4] Some of the more notorious Arab mafia families include the infamous el-koura Younes Clan, the Shams Clan the Al Zein Clan[5] and the Miri Clan from Bremen. Similarly, the Alameddine associates are banned from going between Picnic Point in Blaxland, and Villawood and Strathfield. One of the brawlers was spotted with a large knife in his hand. The Asian gangs in Sydney were infamous for street-level heroin trade. The Lebanese Mafia is the mafia that carries out the day-to-day activities of Bu organized crime groups originating in Lebanon. Sydney (and Australia in general) has one of the lowest crime rates in the world. By Josh Hanrahan For Daily Mail Australia, Published: 09:29 GMT, 16 November 2020 | Updated: 02:47 GMT, 18 June 2021. The killings were straight out of a mafia . Cloudy. 'There's no great mystery that families who come here with nothing will do the hard yards and whatever it takes to get money, and many individuals end up in crime.'. Mohammad, better known as 'Butch', arrived at John Ibrahim's clifftop home and attempted to provoke a confrontation over money. Of course, the establishment owners couldnt report Anderson to the police, as it would put their illegal business in jeopardy. They and their crew have established a stronghold around Merrylands - an area criminals have fought for control for years. . They are known for having control over the Merrylands area in west Sydney, Police believe Mejid Hamzy was responsible for the shooting death of Hamad Assaad, a close associate of Osman Haouchar (left) who is pictured with his wannabe standover man cousin Mohamad 'Butch' Haouchar (right). Haouchar lost his eye in a drive-by shooting at his family's Merrylands home in 2008. To the streets, thats where., Australian-Lebanese filmmaker George Basha agrees. In the immediate aftermath of Hamzy's death they 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. Previously, criminal gangs were ruled by one family or figure, similar to the Russian mafia. As a 30-year-old man walked to his car in the shopping centre near Parramatta he . 'Whoever pulled this stunt is a madman for sure. Hes known as the true Australian godfather his influence reached all corners of Australia, from Queensland to Victoria and beyond. As a high influx of predominately Lebanese people moved in to Sydney they settled in the Bankstown region in Sydney's South West. Drugs are manufactured and brought in from the more rural parts on the outskirts of Sydney, often overseen by Western Sydney gangs. There are two significant sources of crime in Sydney: money laundering and drugs. '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. 'But what you've got to do is get these communities to trust you. A member of the Alameddine crime family found with guns and cocaine in Mays Hill | Police trying to head off a gang war in Sydney have seized . Lebanese organized crime syndicates generally are active globally . Talal Alameddine is the most infamous in his family, despite having numerous criminals among his relatives. 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. They and their crew have established a stronghold around Merrylands - an area criminals have fought for control for years. Daily Mail Australia is in no way suggesting that John Ibrahim is involved in an underworld war or is part of any crime group. Money laundering gangs take up most operations in the city, moving cash in and out of casinos and banks. Mom who lost both sons to fentanyl blasts laughing Biden, Two Russian tanks annihilated with bombs by Ukrainian armed forces, Isabel Oakeshott receives 'menacing' message from Matt Hancock, Pavement where disabled woman gestured at cyclist before fatal crash, Pro-Ukrainian drone lands on Russian spy planes exposing location, 'Buster is next!' The Asian gangs in Sydney were infamous for street-level heroin trade. McPherson decided to take Hakim under his wing and offered protection to the would-be gangster. 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. Most arrested gangsters over the years all looked like ordinary citizens. While Sydney crime figures have been dropping steadily for the past couple of years, there's data (like the Campbelltown crime rate) that tell of a much larger problem facing New South Wales. A pinch of common sense goes a long way toward helping you stay safe. 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. I was lucky; I got a second chance. Later that year, a second fight ensued. He was accepted in a lot of different circles and he had a bit of class. 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. Slowly, but surely the new crime wave focus was against the Lebanese community and this has been the case since the 1990's. We tried setting it up once but it didnt work, says Don Weatherburn, director of the New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research. The first community of Lebanese in Australia were Maronite Christians, quickly followed by a large Muslim community. They include some members of the Hamzy crew being banned from entering Mount Druitt, Rooty HIll, Blacktown and Merrylands where the Alammedine gang frequents. country of residence flight check in; nathaniel rateliff gallagher way; filming locations for she out of my league. Do not sell or share my personal information. However, many others could have been selected, as the gangs have an extensive history of crime and no particular hierarchy. Then, when theyve proven themselves enough, they rise in the ranks and move onto larger scale illicit activity. 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. Unwelcome at school, too much discipline at home, so where do these teenagers go to find respect? Trad asks. Bilal's angst towards the Ibrahims was echoed by his cousin Mohammad last year when he tried to stand over nightclub boss John Ibrahim. The main center of Lebanese organized crime is Sydney, with a significant community of 120,000, followed by . 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. Both gangs had resumes that ran from car theft and rebirthing to protection, standover rackets and drugs. 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. the so-called "lebanese mafia" is called that because it was based in brunswick, an area classically populated by lebanese immigrants (although nowadays only yuppies live there) but the criminal organisation is part of the 'Ndrangheta (Honoured Society) and they really draw their traditions from Calabria, Italy. NSW Police had reportedly believed he was involved in the shooting death of Hamad Assaad, who was gunned down in his driveway in 2016. The street side brawl came a day before a series of shootings at homes linked to both a Hamzy and Alameddine relative. The Lebanese mafia "Al Cossa Kella" is unlike any other well-known traditional/hierarchical mafia and has an exceptional structure. Retired NSW detective turned Western Sydney University lecturer Michael Kennedy has seen generations of organised crime groups in Sydney. Read on to find out more about the most wanted perps throughout Sydneys history. in Sydney may seem like a rare occurrence, but behind the citys peaceful exterior is a thriving criminal underworld! But Sydneys current underworld has fractured into several groups, all competing for control. Mohammed, again a Brothers 4 Life devotee, was stabbed in prison in late-October where he is serving time for shooting two men in 2013. 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. By the end of the era, they had effectively taken over whole suburbs in southwest Sydney with criminal enterprises trading in drugs . 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. 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. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Oscar Cainer tells all. 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. "We ask Allah to give his family, wife and children comfort during this test." A witness told 2GB he heard about 10 bullets fired in the street outside his car workshop on Thursday morning. Your local builder, cashier, or your deli guy could all be criminals! 'If you use the word "mafia" it gives the wrong idea, but it's essentially the same thing in that you have a close knit system,' Professor Kennedy said. Curious about these gangs and Australian families of crime? Criminals are coming together from a really diverse range of backgrounds to do bad things together. Nevertheless he acknowledges Middle Eastern organized crime in the city is not going to go away and more research is needed. In total 22 people were banned from certain areas in Sydney's west and east. He was shot in the stomach and shoulder by an unknown person who police say was lying in wait for Hamze. Perish ran a major drug manufacturing and distribution business for over a decade on the east coast, managing to build a fearsome reputation in the underworld while escaping police attention almost completely. 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 rationale behind targeting each other is obviously drug related. Frankfort, KY (40601) Today. Lennie McPherson went from a boy sentenced to juvy to one of Australias most notorious career criminals in the 20th century. Mohammad, better known as 'Butch', arrived at John Ibrahim's clifftop home and attempted to provoke a confrontation over money. Growing up in western Sydney, I was bullied and picked on for everything I did and stood for. lebanese crime families sydney. At first they resisted, but we made them believe that respect is something every child deserves, but that they needed to take action to earn that respect, he says. 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. RELATED: MAFS Daniel breaks silence on criminal charge. There were 72 drive-by shootings in Sydney in the first half of this year one every 2 days most of which took place in Bankstown, the City of Liverpool further west and in Sydneys inner-west. With all of the gangs and crime families running around, should you be worried? On the day before the first of the Skaf rapes, the gang's leader was only a few weeks away from his 19th birthday. Compared to the Arab population in Australia, a much larger number of Arabs are in Germany and have traditionally settled in large numbers in Lebanese regions such as Tripoli, the Beqaa Valley and Beirut where they have integral part of the country's Sunni community. He actively avoided publicity, keeping his criminal acts to a minimum (compared to other crime bosses, at least). But while life behind bars is intended to be a deterrent for reoffending, it was where Hamzy thrived. 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. Most mob bosses dont last long as they are taken out by rival gangs or police operations. Our contributors include the great investigators Bob Bottom and Al McCoy, and the wonderfully insightful Sydney artist Michael Fitzjames. 'We will be targeting associates and known offenders. That much was confirmed by Lieutenant Colonel Rony Ghanem of Lebanons Internal Security Force. 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. 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. 1999 Harris Kayot Deck Boat, WebLater that year, a second fight ensued. A Year Later, Unanswered Questions and Bad Blood, The Nanjing Massacre: Scenes from a Hideous Slaughter 75 Years Ago, U.S. Government Helped Rise of Mexican Drug Cartel: Report. Rate Provo's attorneys or make an appointment at Most gangs settle in Sydneys rural areas, where police presence isnt as strong as it is in the city. Australian Bikie Gangs: Complete List of Outlaw Motorcycle Clubs, McPherson decided to take Hakim under his wing and offered protection to the would-be gangster. Police believe he may have been responsible for several assassinations including the 2016 death of Hamad 'The Executioner' Assaad, and that his murder is definitely part of a gang-related attack. 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. In the violent feud, one of Mrs Darwiche's sons, AbdulQader, was shot dead and another was convicted of two murders. 14 Dorchester St, Sydney, Nova Scotia B1P 5Y8 Canada +1 902-562-3412 Website. Today, Lebanese crime gangs in Sydney and all over Australia are notorious for weapons & drug trafficking, money laundering, and other crimes. But with drive-by shootings, the nature of criminality in Sydney has changed. Tensions in the city's south-west and western suburbs are at a long-time high. Hamze is the cousin of Bassam Hamzy, 41, who is serving more than 40 years for a spree of killings and gang-related crimes, and Mejid Hamzy who was shot dead in his Condell Park driveway in October 2020. He long blamed Michael Ibrahim, the younger brother of famed Kings Cross identity John. At 2am that Saturday, the home of Maha Hamze was shot at in a drive-by attack. Sydney Morning Herald warned: Sydney Gang Wars: The Battle Of Blood Alley & The Battle of Kellet Street, Just recently, in July of this year, a fight broke out in broad daylight in a busy intersection outside Westfield Parramatta. Well, not so much. The attacks were reported as a war between two rival Lebanese crime families, the Darwiches and the Razzaks. '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. Inside Matt Hancock's 41-hour battle to save his career when photo of 'a snog and heavy petting' with aide 'Arrested at the airport? The year did not start well in Sydney's Harris Park. Published: 21:44 EST, 17 June 2021 | Updated: 23:28 EST, 17 June 2021. After finishing school, Basha became involved in more serious crimes. He told Daily Mail Australia that despite the hard tactics of police, antagonising these groups is in his opinion not the best way to go about it.