A new street gang allegedly broke into homes and stole cars before supplying them to high-profile organised crime networks embroiled in Sydney’s ongoing gangland war.
Police allege the gang, dubbed “G7”, supplied 17 staged vehicles intended to be used in serious crimes in the conflict, which was sparked by the defection of a senior Alameddine crime network member to form his own rival syndicate.
Blaze Collins, 21, is arrested in Narellan. He has been charged with participating in a criminal group and other offences.Credit: NSW Police
The gang was first identified when financial crimes squad detectives began investigating the supply of vehicles, often used as getaway cars, to organised crime networks in January.
Taskforce Falcon, launched in May to quell the violence linked to the conflict between the Alameddine crime network and its new rival, took carriage of investigations into G7 after identifying alleged links to the gangland conflict, with taskforce detectives arresting four alleged gang members alleged to have been involved in the operation.
On Monday, 18-year-old Zane Pera was arrested at a correctional centre on the Mid North Coast and charged with a range of offences, including participating in a criminal group and contributing criminal activity, possessing an unauthorised firearm and supplying a firearm to an unauthorised person. He was refused bail to appear in Campbelltown Local Court on August 27.
On Wednesday morning, detectives and heavily armed Raptor Squad officers raided properties in Greystanes and Menai, in Sydney’s south, where they allegedly found almost $30,000 in cash, more than a kilogram of cocaine, a single barrel shotgun, three shotgun shells, a magazine containing 11 rounds, three spent rounds and 14 mobile phones.
Four hours later, detectives stopped Blaze Collins, 21, while he was driving in Narellan. He was taken to Camden police station and charged with participating in a criminal group and contributing criminal activity, possessing a shortened firearm without authority and driving unlicensed. Footage of Collins’ arrest shows officers swarm him, pinning him to the ground as a police dog, restrained by its handler, approaches.
About the same time, detectives stopped Tyreece Paraku, 21, while he was driving in Blacktown. He was taken to Blacktown police station, where he was charged with participating in a criminal group and contributing criminal activity, possessing a shortened firearm without authority, supplying a large commercial quantity of a prohibited drug, dealing with the proceeds of crime of less than $100,000, but more than $5000, and a number of other firearms offences. Collins and Paraku were both refused bail to appear in court at a later date.
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