More than 100 people have been arrested and charged following a high-impact operation targeting members, associates and supporters of organised criminal networks across Sydney.
Operation Hawk 2022, a two-day high-visibility policing strategy designed to disrupt organised criminal networks, including outlaw motorcycle gangs (OMCG), commenced at 6am on Thursday (27 January 2022) and concluded at 2am yesterday (Saturday 29 January 2022).
During the operation, police seized 18 firearms, 672 rounds of ammunition, almost $100,000 cash, and a variety of prohibited drugs including methylamphetamine, MDMA, gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) and cannabis, with an estimated street value of more than $1.2 million.
In total, police executed 66 Firearm Prohibition Order (FPO) searches and crime scene warrants, charging 115 people with a combined 292 offences. Police also completed more than 450 bail compliance checks and almost 200 business inspections over the two-day period.
Additionally, a number of Casino Exclusion Orders were served on those suspected of using the gaming venues as a means to launder illicit funds.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Police, Paul Toole, praised police for the success of Hawk, and said further targeted operations will continue for as long as they are needed.
"If you're a criminal in Sydney, it's now abundantly clear there is nowhere to hide – and that you'll be leaving your current lifestyle behind for a set of prison greens and some plastic cutlery in the near future," Mr Toole said.
"The NSW government will stop at nothing to ensure our communities are safe, and that police remain well-equipped to eradicate these people from our streets using any legislative means that are necessary."
State Crime Commander, Assistant Commissioner Stuart Smith, said the intelligence driven exercise led police to interact with almost all the 310 identified targets over the course of the two-day operation.
"By employing the disruptive capability of Raptor Squad and supercharging it with an extra 500 officers, we have heavily compromised organised crime networks already reeling from recent pressure by police," Assistant Commissioner Smith said.
"In recent weeks we have taken out the controllers and coordinators of various criminal syndicates and there's more to come – but Hawk was about the henchmen.
"This was about targeting the blind followers of these groups; people with a complete disregard for the safety of the community and those who think they may be able to fill the void and take over.
"The type of violent criminality we've seen from these types won't continue and we've met it with a requisite level of force; the results of which will continue to bear fruit in the coming weeks," Assistant Commissioner Smith said.
Significant events include:
About 10pm on Thursday (27 January 2022), officers attached to Central Metropolitan Regional Enforcement Squad (RES) executed a search warrant at a home on King Georges Road at Penshurst, subsequently locating numerous prohibited weapons including five gel blaster firearms and a crossbow, methylamphetamine, and $25,000 cash. A 55-year-old man was arrested and taken to Kogarah Police Station, where he was charged with five counts of possess or use a prohibited weapon without permit, supply prohibited drug small quantity, possess unregistered firearms including prohibited pistol, possess prohibited drug, deal with property proceeds of crime less than $100,000, and not keep firearm safely-prohibited firearm. He was refused bail and appeared at Sutherland Local Court on Friday (28 January 2022), where he was formally refused bail to reappear at the same court on Friday 25 March 2022.
Around 3pm on Thursday, officers from Eastern Beaches Police Area Command attempted to speak with two men as they unloaded a package from the rear of a vehicle on Ocean Street at Bondi. Police will allege both attempted to flee – one on foot, the other in the car – before they were stopped and arrested. A short time later, investigators executed two search warrants at homes in Bondi, locating and seizing luxury watches, clothing, electronic devices, cash, and 4.5kg of methylamphetamine, with an estimated street value of almost $4 million. The men – aged 24 and 27 – were taken to Waverley Police Station and were each charged with import commercial quantity of border-controlled drug, direct activities of criminal organisation, and recklessly deal with proceeds of indictable crime more than $50,000. They were both refused bail and appeared at Waverley Local Court on Friday (28 January 2022), where they were formally refused bail to reappear at the same court on Tuesday 22 March 2022.
About 5.30pm on Thursday, officers attached to North West Metropolitan Region attempted to stop a stolen grey Toyota Kluger on Targo Road at Pendle Hill. When the vehicle failed to stop a pursuit was initiated, then terminated a short time later due to safety concerns. Just before 6.30pm, it's alleged the Toyota collided with a Corolla on James Ruse Drive at Northmead, before the driver fled on foot. A 35-year-old man was arrested in Richill Park at Constitution Hill a short time later. He was taken to Parramatta Police Station and charged with 20 offences by Robbery and Serious Crime Squad detectives, the majority relating to his alleged involvement in several armed robberies and thefts across Sydney earlier this month. They include jewellery stores in Merrylands, Pemulwuy, Pendle Hill, and a Blacktown business. He was refused bail and appeared at Parramatta Local Court on Friday (28 January 2022), where he was formally refused bail to reappear at the same court on Monday (31 January 2022).
About 6.45am on Friday (28 January 2022), Raptor Squad officers executed a Firearm Prohibition Order (FPO) search at Blacktown address, seizing 187 grams of cannabis, a sawn-off double barrel shotgun, a significant amount of ammunition, and cash. A 26-year-old man was arrested at the home and taken to Blacktown Police Station, where he was charged with 19 offences, including two counts of possess ammunition without holding licence or permit or authority, two counts of possess prohibited drug, two counts of possess or use a prohibited weapon without permit, possess prohibited drug, possess shortened firearm (not pistol) without authority, five counts of supply prohibited drug more than small and less than indictable quantity, acquire firearm subject to prohibition order, to counts of acquire ammunition subject to prohibition order, not keep firearm safely, handle explosive or precursor without authorising licence, and knowingly deal with proceeds of crime. He was refused bail and appeared at Blacktown Local Court that day, where he was formally refused bail to reappear at the same court on Thursday 31 March 2022.
About 7.45am on Friday, officers attached to South West Metropolitan OSG executed a search warrant at a home on Provincial Street, Auburn, seizing 1L of GBL, 15g methylamphetamine, 6g cannabis, 5g MDMA, half a gram of cocaine, prescription medication, mobile phones and $7,000 in cash. A 36-year-old man was arrested and taken to Auburn Police Station where he was charged with owner/occupier knowingly allow use as drug premises, supply prohibited drug, nine counts of possess prohibited drug, two counts of possess prescribed restricted substance, and deal with proceeds of crime. He was granted conditional bail to appear at Burwood Local Court on Thursday 17 February 2022.
Anyone with information in relation to organised criminal activity impacting on the community is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages.
