Police have arrested multiple men who allegedly make up a criminal network known as 'The Commission', a group that has allegedly supplied over $1.8 billion worth of cocaine across Sydney in only four months.
In April 2024, detectives attached to State Crime Command's Organised Crime Squad began investigating the significant supply of cocaine by a 21-year-old man and his associates in Sydney.
Following investigations, detectives arrested a 21-year-old man in Guildford on Thursday 25 July 2024.
During a subsequent search warrant, detectives located a kilogram of cocaine on the man and an additional 12kg in a nearby car.
The total street value of cocaine seized was over $20 million.
The man was taken to Granville Police Station where he was charged with two counts of supply prohibited drug large commercial quantity, knowingly deal with proceeds of crime and participate criminal group contribute criminal activity.
He was refused bail to appear before Parramatta Local Court on Friday 26 July 2024. The man remains bail refused and is due to reappear before the same court today (Thursday 19 September 2024).
Following this arrest and seizure, detectives – with assistance from the NSW Crime Commission and the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission – established Strike Force Barograph to further investigate the large-scale supply of cocaine in Sydney linked to the syndicate.
As investigations continued, detectives uncovered a larger organised crime network known as 'The Commission' which was allegedly controlling the supply and price of cocaine in Sydney.
Detectives allege the group directly controlled the price of cocaine in Sydney through the manipulation of the supply and that they supplied over 1.2 tonnes of cocaine to the state between February and July 2024.
The estimated street value of the cocaine supplied is in excess of $1.8 billion.
Following extensive investigations, strike force detectives – with assistance from all State Crime Command Squads, Public Order and Riot Squad and Tactical Operations Unit officers – executed 20 search warrants at homes across Sydney at about 6am yesterday (Wednesday 18 September 2024).
During the searches, strike force detectives located and seized 20kg of cocaine – that was allegedly found in a bag that was thrown over a fence –, ten cars, $800,000 in cash, a Rolex watch, four firearms, two ballistic vests and multiple electronic devices.
The cars were taken to Bass Hill Police Station where officers allegedly located over 12kg of cocaine stored in hidden compartments in the vehicles known as 'hides'.
The combined street value of the cocaine located is in excess of $55 million.
Following the search, strike force detectives arrested six men – a 25-year-old Bankstown man, a 26-year-old Granville man, a 27-year-old Glenfield man, a 26-year-old Bankstown man, a 34-year-old Villawood man, and a 33-year-old Denham Court man – before taking them to Police Stations across southwest Sydney.
The 25-year-old Bankstown man was taken to Bankstown Police Station where he was charged with four counts of supply prohibited drug large commercial quantity, six counts of knowingly deal with proceeds of crime, knowingly direct activities of criminal group and fail to comply digital evidence access order direction.
The 26-year-old Granville man was taken to Granville Police Station where he was charged with two counts of supply prohibited drug large commercial quantity, two counts of knowingly deal with proceeds of crime, participate criminal group contribute criminal activity and deal with proceeds of crime less than $100,000.
The 27-year-old Glenfield man was taken to Campbelltown Police Station where he was charged with four counts of supply prohibited drug large commercial quantity and fail to comply digital evidence access order direction.
The 26-year-old Bankstown man was taken to Bankstown Police Station where he was charged with two counts of supply prohibited drug large commercial quantity, knowingly deal with proceeds of crime, participate criminal group contribute criminal activity, recklessly deal with proceeds of crime more than $5000, possess DECCD to commit serious criminal activity and fail to comply with digital evidence access order direction.
The 34-year-old Villawood man was taken to Fairfield Police Station where he was charged with 41 counts of knowingly deal with proceeds of crime.
The 33-year-old Denham Court man was taken to Campbelltown Police Station where he was charged with supply prohibited drug commercial quantity.
The 25-year-old man was refused bail to appear before Bankstown Local Court yesterday.
The 26-year-old Granville man was refused bail to appear before Parramatta Local Court today (Thursday 19 September 2024).
The 27-year-old man was refused bail to appear before Campbelltown Local Court today.
The 26-year-old Bankstown man was refused bail to appear before Bankstown Local Court today.
The 34-year-old man was refused bail to appear before Fairfield Local Court today.
The 33-year-old man was refused bail to appear before Campbelltown Local Court today.
Detectives will allege in court this group supplied over $1.8 billion worth of cocaine to Sydney over a four-month period and that the group directly controlled that supply to increase their profits. Police will further allege this group used a sophisticated system of hidden compartments in vehicles to hide and transport the cocaine.
NSW Police Force Commissioner Karen Webb APM said detectives from across State Crime Command have dismantled one of the largest threats to community public safety, the mass supply of cocaine.
"The supply of cocaine to Sydney has continued to poison this city for years and has fuelled and funded the organised tit-for-tat violence police see today.
"Following these significant arrests and seizures, I am pleased to say that this particular source of poison is no more," Commissioner Webb said.
"Police today have uprooted allegedly one of the most dangerous and destructive groups Sydney has seen to date.
"I am confident that today's arrests will make the community safer and make this dangerous drug harder to find."
Detective Superintendent Peter Faux, Commander of Organised Crime Squad, said these arrests are some of the most consequential in the organised crime underworld.
"We have just taken out the group that has allegedly played the role of government, bank and economy to Sydney's criminal underworld.
"These arrests today will result in many criminals becoming unemployed as the large-scale drug supply that finances their crimes dries up," Det Supt Peter Faux.
"For those criminal groups who intend to fill this hole left by yesterday's arrests, know that we are waiting for you and are fully prepared to prosecute you for any crimes you commit that endanger the public of NSW."
Investigations under Strike Force Barograph continue.
Anyone with information that may assist investigators 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.
