1 00:00:00,520 --> 00:00:04,000 Speaker 1: Already and this is the daily This is the Daily 2 00:00:04,120 --> 00:00:06,840 Speaker 1: ohs oh, now it makes sense. 3 00:00:14,640 --> 00:00:17,520 Speaker 2: Good morning and welcome to the Daily ODS. It's Tuesday, 4 00:00:17,560 --> 00:00:20,080 Speaker 2: the twenty fourth of February. I'm Emma Gillespie. 5 00:00:20,200 --> 00:00:21,400 Speaker 1: I'm Billy Fitzimon's. 6 00:00:21,920 --> 00:00:24,959 Speaker 2: Last week, a former NRL star was shot outside his 7 00:00:25,040 --> 00:00:29,200 Speaker 2: home in Sydney's Southwest. Now. Police say the ambush centered 8 00:00:29,200 --> 00:00:33,560 Speaker 2: around the victim's son, who has alleged ties to organized crime. 9 00:00:33,840 --> 00:00:36,600 Speaker 2: In the day since, a gang war has continued to 10 00:00:36,800 --> 00:00:39,879 Speaker 2: escalate on the streets of Sydney, but investigators say it's 11 00:00:39,920 --> 00:00:44,280 Speaker 2: being coordinated by crime bosses from abroad. So today we 12 00:00:44,320 --> 00:00:47,800 Speaker 2: are going to explain the shooting behind this intensifying violence 13 00:00:47,920 --> 00:00:55,000 Speaker 2: and the accusations against two international crime rings. 14 00:00:56,160 --> 00:00:59,960 Speaker 1: And it's not often that we cover local crime like this, 15 00:01:00,280 --> 00:01:02,560 Speaker 1: but this does kind of have everything. It has a 16 00:01:02,560 --> 00:01:07,640 Speaker 1: former NRL player, it is gang violence, alleged gang violence, 17 00:01:07,800 --> 00:01:10,240 Speaker 1: and so it is a little bit more interesting I 18 00:01:10,280 --> 00:01:16,160 Speaker 1: think absolutely. Let's start with this shooting that happened last Tuesday. 19 00:01:16,360 --> 00:01:17,120 Speaker 1: What happened? 20 00:01:17,440 --> 00:01:20,399 Speaker 2: So just after six am on Tuesday, last week, the 21 00:01:20,440 --> 00:01:24,039 Speaker 2: seventeenth of February, emergency services were called to this home 22 00:01:24,120 --> 00:01:26,520 Speaker 2: in the suburb of Greenacre. Now that is a suburb 23 00:01:26,600 --> 00:01:30,280 Speaker 2: in Sydney Southwest, and that was after reports of gunshots 24 00:01:30,319 --> 00:01:33,360 Speaker 2: in a residential street. So police attended the scene and 25 00:01:33,440 --> 00:01:35,560 Speaker 2: they found a forty four year old man on the 26 00:01:35,600 --> 00:01:39,480 Speaker 2: front lawn of this home suffering multiple gunshot wounds to 27 00:01:39,520 --> 00:01:42,399 Speaker 2: his lower leg and upper chest. He was treated at 28 00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:44,959 Speaker 2: the scene but was rushed to hospital in a serious 29 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:49,920 Speaker 2: condition where he underwent surgery. And that man was matt Utai. 30 00:01:50,440 --> 00:01:52,800 Speaker 1: Okay, and so first piece of information we need to 31 00:01:52,880 --> 00:01:55,840 Speaker 1: know is who is matt Utai. I had not heard 32 00:01:55,880 --> 00:01:57,760 Speaker 1: of him prior to this shooting, so. 33 00:01:57,880 --> 00:02:00,520 Speaker 2: He is an NRL legend. I know we have a 34 00:02:00,520 --> 00:02:04,040 Speaker 2: lot of listeners who might be more AFL types, but 35 00:02:04,320 --> 00:02:07,000 Speaker 2: this is a big one for the world of rugby league. 36 00:02:07,360 --> 00:02:10,400 Speaker 2: Utai a former footy star. He played one hundred and 37 00:02:10,400 --> 00:02:13,640 Speaker 2: sixty games in the NRL and that included one hundred 38 00:02:13,639 --> 00:02:16,840 Speaker 2: and twenty seven games for the Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs and 39 00:02:16,919 --> 00:02:20,880 Speaker 2: forty games for the West Tigers. He's probably best remembered 40 00:02:21,000 --> 00:02:23,880 Speaker 2: for playing in the two thousand and four NROL Grand Final, 41 00:02:24,040 --> 00:02:27,680 Speaker 2: when he scored two tries as the Bulldog's winger to 42 00:02:27,720 --> 00:02:31,960 Speaker 2: defeat the Roosters to win that year's premiership. Now, Utai 43 00:02:32,240 --> 00:02:35,359 Speaker 2: was born in Auckland and he's also represented New Zealand 44 00:02:35,480 --> 00:02:39,520 Speaker 2: four times and Samoa three times on the international stage. 45 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:42,200 Speaker 2: He retired at the end of twenty thirteen with eighty 46 00:02:42,360 --> 00:02:46,280 Speaker 2: five career tries. So we really are talking about a 47 00:02:46,360 --> 00:02:49,440 Speaker 2: long term legend of the sport who, by all accounts 48 00:02:49,760 --> 00:02:53,560 Speaker 2: had no criminal history and no known connections to organized crime. 49 00:02:53,960 --> 00:02:58,480 Speaker 1: Right, Okay, So then last Tuesday he shot. Was it 50 00:02:58,680 --> 00:03:02,000 Speaker 1: a random attack? I presume not if we are talking 51 00:03:02,160 --> 00:03:03,560 Speaker 1: here about organized crime. 52 00:03:03,760 --> 00:03:06,399 Speaker 2: Yes, and so this is the question at the very 53 00:03:06,520 --> 00:03:10,840 Speaker 2: center of this investigation. Police say that Utai was not 54 00:03:11,040 --> 00:03:15,360 Speaker 2: the intended target, but that this was not a random attack. 55 00:03:15,720 --> 00:03:18,520 Speaker 2: So we heard from New South Wales Police Superintendent Rodney 56 00:03:18,520 --> 00:03:21,760 Speaker 2: Hart last week who described the attack as a brazen 57 00:03:21,880 --> 00:03:26,040 Speaker 2: ambush and said investigators were looking into who matt Uta 58 00:03:26,200 --> 00:03:29,200 Speaker 2: is involved with, who is family may be involved with, 59 00:03:29,440 --> 00:03:31,680 Speaker 2: and any links to organized crime. 60 00:03:32,080 --> 00:03:35,400 Speaker 1: And this is where his son potentially comes in. Right, 61 00:03:35,400 --> 00:03:36,440 Speaker 1: that's what you said in the intro. 62 00:03:36,680 --> 00:03:41,360 Speaker 2: Exactly great listening, really very active listener. So police and 63 00:03:41,440 --> 00:03:45,520 Speaker 2: media reports have linked the attack to Isaiah Utai. He 64 00:03:45,840 --> 00:03:49,880 Speaker 2: is matt Utai's son, a twenty four year old Sydney man. 65 00:03:49,960 --> 00:03:53,880 Speaker 2: According to reporting by the ABC and nine newspapers, Isaiah 66 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:57,920 Speaker 2: is a former associate of the Alamandine crime family. This 67 00:03:58,000 --> 00:04:01,320 Speaker 2: is a really well known organized crime network, and he's 68 00:04:01,320 --> 00:04:04,080 Speaker 2: now also believed to have links to a rival group 69 00:04:04,240 --> 00:04:06,520 Speaker 2: that's been dubbed the Coconut Cartel. 70 00:04:07,400 --> 00:04:09,480 Speaker 1: Okay, I want to understand more about this because I 71 00:04:09,520 --> 00:04:12,040 Speaker 1: think organized crime is so interesting and something that I 72 00:04:12,120 --> 00:04:13,120 Speaker 1: don't know a lot about. 73 00:04:13,280 --> 00:04:13,520 Speaker 2: Yep. 74 00:04:13,560 --> 00:04:20,279 Speaker 1: But first, here is a quick message from today's sponsor. Okay, 75 00:04:20,600 --> 00:04:24,000 Speaker 1: so you said the Almadine crime family, Am I saying that? Right? 76 00:04:24,160 --> 00:04:31,080 Speaker 1: Al Medine sorry, al Mustine crime Family and the Coconut Cartel. 77 00:04:31,480 --> 00:04:33,360 Speaker 1: What are those? I've never heard of those. 78 00:04:33,240 --> 00:04:36,400 Speaker 2: A great question really. So, the Almadine family is one 79 00:04:36,440 --> 00:04:40,360 Speaker 2: of Sydney's most notorious criminal networks. It's been at the 80 00:04:40,400 --> 00:04:45,839 Speaker 2: center of a series of underworld feuds alleged crimes over 81 00:04:46,000 --> 00:04:49,520 Speaker 2: the last several years. And there's now this rival group 82 00:04:49,720 --> 00:04:52,920 Speaker 2: that has emerged that calls itself the Coconut Cartel, and 83 00:04:52,960 --> 00:04:57,200 Speaker 2: it's largely made up of former Almadine members and associates. 84 00:04:57,279 --> 00:05:00,680 Speaker 2: So police have described it as this crime for higher 85 00:05:00,760 --> 00:05:04,040 Speaker 2: group that has a bit of a vendetta allegedly against 86 00:05:04,120 --> 00:05:08,040 Speaker 2: this other historic crime family. Superintendent Brad Abdee of New 87 00:05:08,040 --> 00:05:11,000 Speaker 2: South Wales Police's Raptor Squad, that's a unit that handles 88 00:05:11,080 --> 00:05:14,839 Speaker 2: organized crime specifically, he said the Coconut Cartel has openly 89 00:05:14,960 --> 00:05:18,960 Speaker 2: advertised their attacks on the Almadin's online since at least 90 00:05:19,120 --> 00:05:22,600 Speaker 2: December last year. So in the police's eyes, there's very 91 00:05:22,680 --> 00:05:26,680 Speaker 2: much been an online and physical feud erupting between these 92 00:05:26,720 --> 00:05:27,560 Speaker 2: two groups. 93 00:05:27,880 --> 00:05:31,400 Speaker 1: Okay, so we have the Almadine family and the Coconut Cartel. 94 00:05:31,760 --> 00:05:36,719 Speaker 1: They are rival gain groups. Where does matt Utie's Sun 95 00:05:36,760 --> 00:05:37,360 Speaker 1: come into this? 96 00:05:37,720 --> 00:05:41,799 Speaker 2: Yep? So allegedly he is one of many people once 97 00:05:41,960 --> 00:05:45,800 Speaker 2: linked to the Almadine family who now is tied to 98 00:05:46,040 --> 00:05:49,960 Speaker 2: this group, seemingly going after their former allies, the Coconut Cartel. 99 00:05:50,440 --> 00:05:52,800 Speaker 2: This is not the first time these groups have been 100 00:05:52,839 --> 00:05:56,520 Speaker 2: linked or that clashes have been suspected to involve these groups. 101 00:05:56,560 --> 00:05:59,600 Speaker 2: There was a spate of incidents across Western Sydney over 102 00:05:59,600 --> 00:06:02,960 Speaker 2: the last year that have been tied to this gangland war. 103 00:06:03,360 --> 00:06:05,520 Speaker 2: So there was a barber shop in the suburb of 104 00:06:05,560 --> 00:06:08,679 Speaker 2: Marylands that was believed to be owned by Isaiah Utai, 105 00:06:08,800 --> 00:06:11,960 Speaker 2: which was firebombed two nights in a row in May 106 00:06:12,040 --> 00:06:15,919 Speaker 2: last year. In December last year, police believe Isaiah was 107 00:06:15,920 --> 00:06:19,040 Speaker 2: the target of a shooting into a Guildford West home 108 00:06:19,080 --> 00:06:22,040 Speaker 2: in Western Sydney. Two women and a child were inside 109 00:06:22,080 --> 00:06:24,560 Speaker 2: at that time, but they were not injured. There's also 110 00:06:24,880 --> 00:06:28,520 Speaker 2: importantly an active arrest warrant out for Isaiah Utai. Now 111 00:06:28,560 --> 00:06:31,240 Speaker 2: that is in relation to the alleged murder of a 112 00:06:31,320 --> 00:06:35,599 Speaker 2: senior Alamdine associate who was shot dead in May last year. 113 00:06:36,200 --> 00:06:39,880 Speaker 1: So there was an arrest warrant out against Isia Utai, 114 00:06:40,480 --> 00:06:43,880 Speaker 1: Matt's son, yes, and so do we know where he is. 115 00:06:44,320 --> 00:06:47,280 Speaker 2: Well, police believed that he fled the country. It's thought 116 00:06:47,279 --> 00:06:49,919 Speaker 2: that he left Australia in May last year. That was 117 00:06:50,040 --> 00:06:54,279 Speaker 2: after that shooting, the alleged murder of a senior gang associate. 118 00:06:54,600 --> 00:06:58,000 Speaker 2: Now we don't know one hundred percent where Isaiah is now, 119 00:06:58,120 --> 00:07:01,520 Speaker 2: but he is believed to be in Thailand according to 120 00:07:01,560 --> 00:07:04,440 Speaker 2: some investigations by The Sydney Morning Herald and the ABC. 121 00:07:05,000 --> 00:07:07,440 Speaker 2: That's not been confirmed by police. 122 00:07:07,960 --> 00:07:11,280 Speaker 1: Interesting and so I guess we don't know if Matt 123 00:07:11,400 --> 00:07:14,239 Speaker 1: Asia's father knows where he is. He hasn't said anything 124 00:07:14,280 --> 00:07:14,640 Speaker 1: about that. 125 00:07:14,840 --> 00:07:17,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, well, I mean police, I'm sure we'll be interviewing 126 00:07:17,640 --> 00:07:20,440 Speaker 2: him and wanting to understand everything that happened in the 127 00:07:20,520 --> 00:07:23,880 Speaker 2: lead up to this shooting, and that will involve, no doubt, 128 00:07:23,920 --> 00:07:25,480 Speaker 2: questions about the whereabouts of his son. 129 00:07:25,760 --> 00:07:28,160 Speaker 1: Okay, So let's go back to the shooting. What happened 130 00:07:28,440 --> 00:07:29,760 Speaker 1: after he was shot. 131 00:07:30,000 --> 00:07:34,280 Speaker 2: So almost immediately there were these retaliatory incidents or what 132 00:07:34,320 --> 00:07:37,600 Speaker 2: police are treating as retaliation attacks. So there was a 133 00:07:37,640 --> 00:07:41,280 Speaker 2: burnt out car found almost immediately after the shooting. The 134 00:07:41,360 --> 00:07:44,920 Speaker 2: next morning, early on Wednesday, shots were fired at a 135 00:07:45,000 --> 00:07:47,480 Speaker 2: home in outer western Sydney. There was a woman in 136 00:07:47,480 --> 00:07:50,280 Speaker 2: her fifties inside at the time. She was uninjured in 137 00:07:50,320 --> 00:07:53,200 Speaker 2: that incident. Later the same day Wednesday, So this is 138 00:07:53,200 --> 00:07:55,720 Speaker 2: all happening. Within the twenty four hours after the shooting, 139 00:07:56,200 --> 00:07:59,600 Speaker 2: a house and a car were set a light near Paramatta. 140 00:08:00,080 --> 00:08:04,200 Speaker 2: Firefighters extinguished that blaze with no injuries. And then police 141 00:08:04,240 --> 00:08:07,000 Speaker 2: revealed at the end of last week that they believe 142 00:08:07,240 --> 00:08:10,560 Speaker 2: all of those incidents I just described were targeting the 143 00:08:10,720 --> 00:08:14,800 Speaker 2: Utai family. So a series of attacks aimed at herting 144 00:08:14,880 --> 00:08:18,760 Speaker 2: allegedly the Utai family. Even though Isaiah Utai is not 145 00:08:18,960 --> 00:08:20,640 Speaker 2: himself in the country. 146 00:08:20,480 --> 00:08:23,200 Speaker 1: And there was footage of some of those attacks circulating 147 00:08:23,320 --> 00:08:24,200 Speaker 1: on social. 148 00:08:23,880 --> 00:08:27,040 Speaker 2: Media, right, yeah, there was one clip which shows this 149 00:08:27,120 --> 00:08:30,760 Speaker 2: hooded figure shooting out a property, firing these shots and 150 00:08:30,800 --> 00:08:34,080 Speaker 2: a voice is heard in the background referring to the 151 00:08:34,080 --> 00:08:37,880 Speaker 2: coconut cartel, shouting out the coconut cartel. Some outlets are 152 00:08:37,880 --> 00:08:42,160 Speaker 2: also reporting that a message allegedly sent from the Alamandine 153 00:08:42,160 --> 00:08:46,920 Speaker 2: crime family was circulating, basically a warning to Isaiah Utai 154 00:08:47,040 --> 00:08:50,199 Speaker 2: that the attacks were quote just the start. It's really 155 00:08:50,240 --> 00:08:52,800 Speaker 2: important to note though we at TDA haven't been able 156 00:08:52,880 --> 00:08:56,520 Speaker 2: to independently verify the origins of those messages. This is 157 00:08:56,600 --> 00:08:59,000 Speaker 2: just what is being reported by credible outlets. 158 00:08:59,240 --> 00:09:02,680 Speaker 1: Have there been any arrests in connection to this string 159 00:09:02,720 --> 00:09:03,439 Speaker 1: of crimes. 160 00:09:03,720 --> 00:09:06,520 Speaker 2: There have been several arrests and that's all been moving 161 00:09:06,600 --> 00:09:09,840 Speaker 2: quite quickly. So more than one hundred investigators have been 162 00:09:09,920 --> 00:09:13,720 Speaker 2: looking into this escalating violence between these groups. They're part 163 00:09:13,800 --> 00:09:16,760 Speaker 2: that's a lot, yeah, under special task force that's actually 164 00:09:16,800 --> 00:09:20,920 Speaker 2: been set up. It's called Strikeforce hales Owen. And over 165 00:09:20,960 --> 00:09:23,880 Speaker 2: the days following the shooting and those other multiple incidents, 166 00:09:24,080 --> 00:09:28,920 Speaker 2: officers raided six properties across Sydney Southwest and Western suburbs. 167 00:09:29,320 --> 00:09:32,960 Speaker 2: On Thursday, we got news that four people had been charged. 168 00:09:33,320 --> 00:09:36,240 Speaker 2: That was in relation to the attacks believed to be 169 00:09:36,280 --> 00:09:39,720 Speaker 2: targeting the Utai family. So several of those attacks, including 170 00:09:39,720 --> 00:09:42,760 Speaker 2: a nineteen year old man who allegedly picked up the 171 00:09:42,800 --> 00:09:45,760 Speaker 2: gunman who carried out the shooting on matt Utai. A 172 00:09:45,880 --> 00:09:49,280 Speaker 2: sixteen year old boy has been accused of handling the gun. 173 00:09:49,600 --> 00:09:53,960 Speaker 2: He's also been charged, and two others aged eighteen and nineteen, 174 00:09:54,000 --> 00:09:56,680 Speaker 2: have been charged over a fire bomb attack on a 175 00:09:56,679 --> 00:10:00,280 Speaker 2: property linked to the Utah's the day after matt Utai 176 00:10:00,440 --> 00:10:03,600 Speaker 2: was shot. By Friday night, we had a fifth and 177 00:10:03,800 --> 00:10:07,120 Speaker 2: sixth arrest and subsequent charges a twenty five year old 178 00:10:07,120 --> 00:10:10,160 Speaker 2: man and a fifteen year old boy. Police alleged that 179 00:10:10,240 --> 00:10:12,960 Speaker 2: the older man carried out the shooting of matt Utai, 180 00:10:13,440 --> 00:10:16,920 Speaker 2: while the teenager has been charged for allegedly driving the 181 00:10:16,960 --> 00:10:20,560 Speaker 2: getaway car. Now they have both been charged with intent 182 00:10:20,679 --> 00:10:23,400 Speaker 2: to murder and participating in a criminal group. They've been 183 00:10:23,440 --> 00:10:26,120 Speaker 2: refused bail. So that brings us to a total of 184 00:10:26,280 --> 00:10:29,640 Speaker 2: six people who have been charged over this violence that 185 00:10:29,640 --> 00:10:31,560 Speaker 2: we've seen across Sydney in the last week. 186 00:10:31,840 --> 00:10:33,840 Speaker 1: Interesting that most of them are teenagers. 187 00:10:34,120 --> 00:10:38,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, they're very young. Police actually directly addressed this when 188 00:10:38,600 --> 00:10:42,400 Speaker 2: Detective Acting Superintendent Abdi said last week it was quite 189 00:10:42,480 --> 00:10:46,520 Speaker 2: disgusting that criminals who are overseas and now recruiting young 190 00:10:46,559 --> 00:10:50,760 Speaker 2: people in Australia and essentially consigning them to a particular 191 00:10:50,920 --> 00:10:54,400 Speaker 2: lifestyle for the promise of money, he said. He added 192 00:10:54,400 --> 00:10:57,880 Speaker 2: that those ordering the attacks from abroad are quote using 193 00:10:57,920 --> 00:11:01,200 Speaker 2: young people to commit crime on their behalf, promising them 194 00:11:01,280 --> 00:11:03,080 Speaker 2: riches they will never ever. 195 00:11:02,960 --> 00:11:08,080 Speaker 1: Get right, So the teenagers aren't necessarily part of those 196 00:11:08,520 --> 00:11:12,079 Speaker 1: organized crime groups, but the police believe that it's overseas 197 00:11:12,160 --> 00:11:14,719 Speaker 1: people who are ordering the teenagers to carry out the 198 00:11:14,760 --> 00:11:15,680 Speaker 1: crimes on their behalf. 199 00:11:15,800 --> 00:11:18,679 Speaker 2: Yeah, So I think it's important here to separate billy 200 00:11:18,960 --> 00:11:24,319 Speaker 2: the crime bosses from the alleged gangs. So what police 201 00:11:24,400 --> 00:11:28,120 Speaker 2: are alleging is that the decision makers, the coordinators of 202 00:11:28,200 --> 00:11:31,960 Speaker 2: the alleged crimes are not in Australia, but they're recruiting 203 00:11:32,000 --> 00:11:37,079 Speaker 2: people in Australia to carry out these offenses and recruiting 204 00:11:37,120 --> 00:11:39,880 Speaker 2: them into their gangs that way. But the context of 205 00:11:39,880 --> 00:11:42,720 Speaker 2: that might mean, you know, going after really young guys, 206 00:11:43,080 --> 00:11:46,600 Speaker 2: perhaps in vulnerable situations, who are attracted to this idea 207 00:11:46,600 --> 00:11:49,840 Speaker 2: of money who may not have any prior criminal history 208 00:11:49,920 --> 00:11:53,680 Speaker 2: or experience, and may also be completely unaware of the context, 209 00:11:53,960 --> 00:11:57,839 Speaker 2: the broader context around these gangs that they're getting themselves into. 210 00:11:58,559 --> 00:12:02,199 Speaker 1: So how will the police are even trying to arrest 211 00:12:02,280 --> 00:12:04,679 Speaker 1: the bosses? The crime bosses overseas? 212 00:12:04,840 --> 00:12:09,319 Speaker 2: So police basically said that their biggest priority is identifying 213 00:12:09,559 --> 00:12:14,080 Speaker 2: these coordinating influences from overseas, finding their names, and then 214 00:12:14,120 --> 00:12:17,920 Speaker 2: working with local authorities to apprehend them. So they're working 215 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:22,240 Speaker 2: with law enforcement partners in other countries. They've described this 216 00:12:22,360 --> 00:12:25,400 Speaker 2: as tracking down people from overseas who are tasking people 217 00:12:25,400 --> 00:12:28,239 Speaker 2: in Sydney to commit crimes on their behalf. As we've explained, 218 00:12:28,440 --> 00:12:31,520 Speaker 2: this isn't new for police. I think it's also important 219 00:12:31,559 --> 00:12:35,280 Speaker 2: to note so crime bosses coordinating operations from abroad is 220 00:12:35,440 --> 00:12:40,920 Speaker 2: a really familiar scenario for Australia's underworld's crime gangs. According 221 00:12:40,920 --> 00:12:44,160 Speaker 2: to The Sydney Morning Herald, there is one really senior 222 00:12:44,200 --> 00:12:48,199 Speaker 2: figure in the Alamandine family, the family's patriarch, Rafat Alamadeine. 223 00:12:48,640 --> 00:12:52,480 Speaker 2: He left Australia for Lebanon in twenty twenty two, and 224 00:12:52,640 --> 00:12:56,400 Speaker 2: police say that he has continued to direct the network's 225 00:12:56,400 --> 00:13:01,280 Speaker 2: criminal activities while living beyond the reach of FED authorities there. 226 00:13:01,880 --> 00:13:06,079 Speaker 2: So this incredible SMH investigation reports that his departure, along 227 00:13:06,120 --> 00:13:09,400 Speaker 2: with other senior figures from the country, has created this 228 00:13:09,480 --> 00:13:12,920 Speaker 2: real power vacuum and that has left a bit of 229 00:13:12,960 --> 00:13:17,560 Speaker 2: internal instability. It's why we're seeing allegedly people defect from 230 00:13:17,559 --> 00:13:20,920 Speaker 2: that group to make up this new cartel, the Coconut Cartel. 231 00:13:21,200 --> 00:13:24,640 Speaker 2: They're breaking away from the Alamedines. They're challenging control of 232 00:13:24,679 --> 00:13:27,320 Speaker 2: Sydney's drug trade and they're here on the ground. 233 00:13:27,720 --> 00:13:29,160 Speaker 1: So where do we go from here? 234 00:13:29,760 --> 00:13:32,959 Speaker 2: Police have confirmed as we know that that alleged tutor 235 00:13:33,320 --> 00:13:36,319 Speaker 2: is in custody, the alleged getaway driver is in custody. 236 00:13:36,320 --> 00:13:39,360 Speaker 2: We've got six people who've been charged before the courts, 237 00:13:39,480 --> 00:13:43,080 Speaker 2: but authorities will be really focused on identifying those overseas 238 00:13:43,080 --> 00:13:47,400 Speaker 2: figures and as well as investigating whether any wider criminal 239 00:13:47,440 --> 00:13:51,440 Speaker 2: networks are involved. So this feud could be much bigger 240 00:13:51,480 --> 00:13:54,080 Speaker 2: than just these two groups. There are a couple of 241 00:13:54,120 --> 00:13:56,479 Speaker 2: other groups who could be caught up in this conflict. 242 00:13:56,600 --> 00:14:00,760 Speaker 2: A street gang called KVT that has historic ties to 243 00:14:00,800 --> 00:14:04,400 Speaker 2: the Alamardine family. A newer group called G seven made 244 00:14:04,480 --> 00:14:07,680 Speaker 2: up of young men and teenagers who police allege carrying 245 00:14:07,679 --> 00:14:11,280 Speaker 2: out violent crimes for both sides of the conflict. It 246 00:14:11,320 --> 00:14:14,400 Speaker 2: gets very big and very confusing very quickly. But it 247 00:14:14,480 --> 00:14:17,160 Speaker 2: will be interesting to see if New South Wales police 248 00:14:17,480 --> 00:14:20,240 Speaker 2: make further arrests, who those people will be and what 249 00:14:20,360 --> 00:14:23,280 Speaker 2: the accusations against them will be and what that means 250 00:14:23,280 --> 00:14:25,800 Speaker 2: to the broader gangland war. But we will keep watching 251 00:14:25,880 --> 00:14:26,400 Speaker 2: this closely. 252 00:14:26,520 --> 00:14:30,240 Speaker 1: Yeah, organized crime is something that I know so little about, 253 00:14:30,280 --> 00:14:33,280 Speaker 1: so it's always very interesting to learn about all of 254 00:14:33,320 --> 00:14:35,720 Speaker 1: these things that are happening that literally kind of feel 255 00:14:35,720 --> 00:14:38,680 Speaker 1: like they're happening underground. But what's so interesting about it 256 00:14:38,720 --> 00:14:42,080 Speaker 1: is that it's actually happening right in front of our eyes. 257 00:14:42,200 --> 00:14:44,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, just down the road. And it's the stuff of movies, 258 00:14:44,800 --> 00:14:48,240 Speaker 2: it's the stuff of TV shows Underbelley a great Aussie series, 259 00:14:48,480 --> 00:14:52,480 Speaker 2: but when it's playing out in real time in the news, 260 00:14:52,000 --> 00:14:54,359 Speaker 2: it's scary but fascinating. 261 00:14:54,480 --> 00:14:56,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, and thank you for taking us through that. Thank you, 262 00:14:57,120 --> 00:14:59,640 Speaker 1: and thank you so much for listening to this episode 263 00:14:59,720 --> 00:15:02,240 Speaker 1: of The Daily OS. We'll be back this afternoon with 264 00:15:02,320 --> 00:15:04,680 Speaker 1: your evening headlines, but until then, we hope you have 265 00:15:04,720 --> 00:15:11,160 Speaker 1: a beautiful day. My name is Lily Maddon and I'm 266 00:15:11,160 --> 00:15:15,640 Speaker 1: a proud Arunda Bungelung Kalkadoon woman from Gadighl country. The 267 00:15:15,720 --> 00:15:18,840 Speaker 1: Daily oz acknowledges that this podcast is recorded on the 268 00:15:18,880 --> 00:15:21,560 Speaker 1: lands of the Gadighl people and pays respect to all 269 00:15:21,720 --> 00:15:24,640 Speaker 1: Aboriginal and Torres s right island and nations. We pay 270 00:15:24,680 --> 00:15:27,600 Speaker 1: our respects to the first peoples of these countries, both 271 00:15:27,680 --> 00:15:28,560 Speaker 1: past and present.