State Crime Command detectives have charged two men, executed four search warrants, and foiled an alleged murder plot as part of inquiries under Strike Force Tromperie, Strike Force Veil and Strike Force Ballyana.
In December 2022, State Crime Command's Organised Crime Squad – together with the NSW Crime Commission – established Strike Force Tromperie to investigate the activities of an international criminal syndicate hailing from Lebanon.
To date, 28 people have been charged for organised crime related offences and remain before the courts.
During inquiries under Strike Force Tromperie, detectives identified a 26-year-old man was allegedly coordinating an off-shoot criminal cell who were taking on contract work – sometimes from rival criminal networks – to carry out serious and violent crime such as murders and kidnappings on their behalf.
Police will allege in court the criminal cell were conspiring to murder four high-profile men from Sydney's north-west on behalf of another network.
Police will also allege the group were linked to a kidnapping in March 2023, and an alleged attempted kidnapping over a 722kg importation of cocaine seized by police in Ryde, which State Crime Command's Robbery and Serious Crime Squad investigated under Strike Force Ballyana and Strike Force Veil.
About 6.10am on today (Thursday 11 January 2023), strike force detectives – with assistance from South West Metropolitan Operational Support Group – executed a search warrant in Cartwright where officers arrested the 26-year-old man.
He was taken to Liverpool Police Station where was charged with 20 offences including:
- Conspire and agree to murder any person
- Conspiracy to take/detain person in company with intent to obtain advantage
- Four counts of possess unauthorised pistol
- Four counts of acquire etc pistol-subject to firearms prohibition order
- Possess or use a prohibited weapon without permit
- Use prohibited weapon contrary to prohibition order
- Conspiracy to commit robbery while armed with dangerous weapon
- Knowingly direct activities of criminal group
- Participate criminal group
- Four counts of supply prohibited drug >= large commercial quantity
- Attempt to supply prohibited drug >= large commercial quantity
Simultaneously in Sadlier, strike force detectives – with assistance from the Public Order & Riot Squad and Australian Border Force – arrested a 20-year-old, who was taken to Liverpool Police Station where he was charged with conspire and agree to murder any person, conspire to commit robbery while armed with dangerous weapon, attempt to supply prohibited drug >= large commercial quantity, possess prohibited drug and participate criminal group.
Both men were refused bail to appear in Liverpool Local Court today.
Search warrants were also executed at homes in Riverstone and Ashcroft where police seized a number of items relevant to their investigation.
As inquiries under Strike Force Tromperie continue, police have applied for an arrest warrant for a 22-year-old man who is believed to be offshore.
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.
