Sydney cocaine bust: Police arrest crime gang after staggering $1.8 billion distribution in four months

One of the biggest drug “take-downs” in Australia’s history has taken place after a gang of criminals known as “The Commission” were arrested by NSW police.

The crime group is alleged to have been responsible for the distribution and sale of a staggering $1.8 billion worth of cocaine in four months according to police.

The Commission was run by crime kingpin Alen Moradian before he was shot dead in a Bondi carpark last year.

“We have just taken out the group that has allegedly played the role of government, bank and economy to Sydney’s criminal underworld,” Det-supt Peter Faux, commander of the organised crime squad said.

“These arrests today will result in many criminals becoming unemployed as the large-scale drug supply that finances their crimes dries up,”

“For those criminal groups who intend to fill this hole left by yesterday’s arrests, know that we are waiting for you and are fully prepared to prosecute you for any crimes you commit that endanger the public of NSW.”

Police arrested multiple men who allegedly make up the criminal network after detectives attached to the state crime command’s organised crime squad began investigating the significant supply of cocaine by a 21-year-old man and his associates in Sydney.

Following investigations that began in April, detectives arrested the 21-year-old man in Guildford on Thursday, July 25.

During a subsequent search warrant, detectives located a kilogram of cocaine on the man and an additional 12kg in a nearby car.

The total street value of cocaine seized was estimated to be worth over $20 million.

The man was taken to Granville Police Station where he was charged with two counts of supplying a prohibited drug large in a commercial quantity, knowingly dealing with the proceeds of crime and participating in a criminal group contributing to criminal activity.

He was refused bail to appear before Parramatta Local Court on Friday, July 26. Bail was then refused and he is due to reappear before the same court on Thursday.

“Police have uprooted allegedly one of the most dangerous and destructive groups Sydney has seen to date,” NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb said.

“I am confident that today’s arrests will make the community safer and make this dangerous drug harder to find.

“The supply of cocaine to Sydney has continued to poison this city for years and has fuelled and funded the organised tit-for-tat violence police see today.

“Following these significant arrests and seizures, I am pleased to say that this particular source of poison is no more.”

Following this arrest and seizure, detectives – with assistance from the NSW Crime Commission and the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission – established a strike force barograph to further investigate the large-scale supply of cocaine in Sydney linked to the syndicate.

As investigations continued, detectives uncovered a larger organised crime network known as ‘The Commission’ which was allegedly controlling the supply and price of cocaine in Sydney.

Detectives allege the group directly controlled the price of cocaine in Sydney through the manipulation of the supply and that they supplied over 1.2 tonnes of cocaine throughout the state between February and July of 2024.

The estimated street value of the cocaine supplied is believed to be more than $1.8 billion.

Following extensive investigations, strike force detectives – with assistance from all state crime command squads, public order and riot squad and tactical operations unit officers – executed 20 search warrants at homes across Sydney at about 6 am on Wednesday.

During the searches, strike force detectives located and seized 20kg of cocaine – that was allegedly found in a bag that was thrown over a fence – ten cars, $800,000 in cash, a Rolex watch, four firearms, two ballistic vests and multiple electronic devices.

The cars were taken to Bass Hill Police Station where officers allegedly located over 12kg of cocaine stored in hidden compartments in the vehicles known as ‘hides’.

The combined street value of the cocaine is believed to be more than $55 million.

Following the search, strike force detectives arrested six men – a 25-year-old Bankstown man, a 26-year-old Granville man, a 27-year-old Glenfield man, a 26-year-old Bankstown man, a 34-year-old Villawood man, and a 33-year-old Denham Court man.

The Bankstown, Granville, Glenfield and Granville men face a raft of drug, dealing in the proceeds of crime and criminal group charges.

The Villawood man was as charged with 41 counts of knowingly dealing with the proceeds of crime, while the Denham Court man was charged with large scale drug supply.

All the men were to appear in court today, with the Bankstown man having appeared on Wednesday.

Investigations under Strike Force Barograph continue.