Special police taskforce established to tackle escalating gang violence in NSW

New South Wales police is making an attempt to curb escalating gang violence in Sydney, with 60 officers becoming a member of a brand new taskforce focusing on organised crime teams believed to be behind a spate of latest murders.

Previously 18 months 13 folks have been killed in suspected gang violence in Sydney’s west and south-west.

Two Comanchero bikies have been gunned down at a western Sydney health club on Tuesday evening. Omar Zahed, 39, was killed and his brother, Comanchero bikie boss Tarek Zahed, 41, was critically wounded.

The most recent taking pictures occurred on Saturday when 23-year-old Rami Iskander – the nephew of slain gangland determine Mahmoud “Brownie” Ahmad – was shot useless at his western Sydney residence – the third deadly taking pictures in latest weeks.

In response, NSW police introduced on Monday it is going to arrange taskforce Erebus, which is able to look at the circumstances and hyperlinks between latest deadly shootings in addition to dozens of acts of violence and the availability of prohibited medication, illicit firearms, automotive theft and varied different felony actions.

It brings collectively Australian Federal Police, detectives in south-west Sydney, the NSW Crime Fee and the Australian Prison Intelligence Fee.

Detective chief superintendent Darren Bennett mentioned 60 officers will work full-time within the taskforce, which is able to coordinate investigations on the newest gangland murders, redoubling efforts to cease extra killings going down.

“It’s not an actual science by any means,” Bennett mentioned on Monday.

Since October, police investigating felony gangs have arrested 260 folks and laid greater than 840 expenses.

State crime commander assistant commissioner, Mick Fitzgerald, mentioned Erebus would construct on leads already gathered “and guarantee they've the sources to maintain focusing on and placing stress on these felony teams on all fronts”.

• Signal as much as obtain an e mail with the highest tales from Guardian Australia each morning

Signal as much as obtain the highest tales from Guardian Australia each morning

Earlier, the NSW premier, Dominic Perrottet, rejected stories that police lacked adequate sources to crack down on cashed-up underworld gangs.

The federal government was additionally engaged on laws to give attention to unexplained wealth and proceeds of crime, he mentioned.

“I met with police commissioner [Karen] Webb final week, I've full confidence within the operation they're working proper now,” he advised Sydney radio 2GB.

“If anybody is concerned … on this violence they are going to be tracked down, they are going to be locked up,” he mentioned.