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An Alameddine family member with links to organised crime has been charged with child grooming.
Mustapha Alameddine allegedly spent two months speaking to what he thought was a 14-year-old girl online, sending sexually explicit photos and requesting them in return.
He was instead speaking with interstate police.
The interstate police passed the information on to NSW Police’s Raptor Squad, which raided a home in Merrylands on Wednesday morning, seizing mobile phones and arresting Alameddine.
The 39-year-old was taken to Granville police station and charged with one count of using a device to groom a child for sex, one count of sending indecent material to a child, one count of using a carriage service to procure a child for sex, and one charge of possessing a prohibited drug.
Detective Inspector Brad Abdy confirmed Alameddine has links to people involved in organised crime.
“While he was engaging a member of the police force, this activity could just as easily have been [with] a not a member of the police and an innocent 14-year-old,” he said.
Alameddine, who worked in security, will face Bail Division Local Court on Wednesday.
Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732). Anyone affected by sexual, domestic or family violence can also access 24/7, free and confidential trauma-specialist counselling through Full Stop Australia (1800 385 578).
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Amber Schultz is a crime and justice reporter with The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via X or email.From our partners
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