By Josefine Ganko, Perry Duffin, Angus Thomson and Bailey Kenzie
A man who staggered into a Brisbane service station after being shot in the head and buried alive is suspected to be one of three victims of an alleged “contract crew” that carried out the murder of a Sydney man and severed the ear of another.
The investigation into the death of 32-year-old Sydney man Rich “Dylan” Choup, who police allege had fallen foul of his drug syndicate bosses and whose body was found in bushland in the city’s south in August last year, under Strike Force Hallett uncovered an alleged six-day crime spree across NSW and Queensland.
Amid an appeal for information on the violent incidents, police have revealed they believe all three crimes are connected to a Victorian drug-trafficking syndicate. Police say they have established links to the syndicate for Choup and a man kidnapped in south-western Sydney.
The motive behind the attack on a third man, who was buried alive in Queensland after being shot in the head, is unknown. There is no evidence he was involved in the syndicate’s criminal activities.
Detectives are searching for five people seen in CCTV footage relating to the three violent incidents.
“We believe that it’s very highly likely related to something that’s gone wrong within that drug-trafficking syndicate from Melbourne,” Detective Superintendent Joseph Doueihi told a press conference on Monday, adding that Victoria Police had an active investigation into the syndicate.
“We don’t know what the exact nature of the disputes were. It may be a case of missing drugs or missing money. If I were a betting man, that’s what I would say the situation was.”
Sydney kidnapping and torture
In the first incident, on July 19 last year, a 31-year-old man was kidnapped and tortured in Sydney’s south-west before being released later the same day, police say.
The alleged crime was never reported, but police believe the man was kidnapped in the Auburn area and taken to a Canley Vale property where part of his ear was severed.
The box cutter police allege was used in the Canley Vale kidnapping.Credit: NSW Police
A police search of the site on October 10 recovered a box cutter.
“Unfortunately, it’s been seen quite often now that part of their torturing technique is to sever ears and fingers and toes of people they take hostage,” Doueihi said of the syndicate.
CCTV released in the police appeal for information shows a dark-coloured Audi SQ2 and a white Volkswagen Golf travelling in convoy at the Freeman Avenue and Sackville Street intersection in Canley Vale about the time of the kidnapping. Both vehicles were stolen and had cloned number plates. The Audi was found burnt out in Granville later that month.
Queensland attempted murder
Two days later, a man survived an alleged murder attempt in Queensland, where police say he was shot in the head and buried alive.
About 5am on July 21, 2024, a man with a gunshot wound to his head staggered into a service station in Jimboomba, 27 kilometres south of Brisbane, covered in dirt.
The gunshot victim in the Jimboomba service station.Credit: Nine News
The 23-year-old man said he did not want emergency services, but when he collapsed, the service station staff called for an ambulance. He had been shot through the eye and had a bullet lodged in his brain.
A witness told Nine News last year the man had severe facial injuries, including to his eye socket, and was asking for a taxi.
“He said, ‘no police, no ambulance, just a taxi’,” the witness said.
Two persons of interest seen at a Nambucca roadhouse. The alleged victim, whose face is blurred, is looking in the boot of the car.Credit: NSW Police
When the man wandered outside to use the bathroom, staff called triple-zero.
“He just kept repeating, ‘I’m going to die’,” she said. “I didn’t know who was following him. I didn’t know if they were going to come hurt us.”
Police allege that after the man was shot, he was buried alive. He managed to escape, probably without the knowledge of his attackers.
“The male crawled out of the grave and made his way to a nearby service station,” Doueihi said.
“For someone to survive that is a miracle.”
CCTV footage shows four men, one of whom is believed to be the victim, in a white Hyundai Getz at a roadhouse in Nambucca on the Mid North Coast of NSW. Police believe the victim may have been picked up in NSW and driven to Queensland.
Police do not know why this man was attacked.
Murder of Rich “Dylan” Choup
The funeral notice for Rich “Dylan” Choup. Credit:
Sydney man Dylan Choup was reported missing on July 29 last year, having last been seen in an altercation in Cabramatta on the evening of July 25.
CCTV footage shows Choup, dressed in a bucket hat and holding an iced drink, being slapped in the face by a man dressed in black on Railway Parade.
The interaction demonstrated the hierarchy at play within the syndicate, police said, noting Choup’s lack of resistance or attempt to flee.
“For Mr Choup to just sit there and be slapped in public would suggest to me that that person holds a much higher position in that organisation than he did,” Doueihi said.
“It was quite evident from that footage that Mr Choup was in fear of that person.”
CCTV footage shows Choup being slapped on Railway Parade, Cabramatta. Credit: NSW Police
Choup told friends he had a meeting, asking them to wait nearby. But the footage shows Choup and the man who slapped him walking towards a grey Audi SQ2, which was also used in the Canley Vale assault days earlier.
On August 31, more than a month after Choup was last seen and reported missing, trail bike riders came upon human remains in bushland off Heathcote Road in Lucas Heights.
An autopsy later confirmed the remains belonged to Choup, who had been fatally shot and with the top of his right ear cut off.
Choup’s ear was probably severed in the process of torturing him for information, and his refusal to co-operate probably led to his death, Doueihi said.
In their appeal for information, detectives have also released CCTV of a white Lexus and white Audi RS3, and two men considered persons of interest seen moving the vehicles around the time of Choup’s disappearance.
A tribute posted online said he had a “huge heart”.
Police are urging anyone with further information on any of the incidents to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
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