The War Podcast reveals how Sydney gangland series came to life

It’s the ongoing bloody gangland crime rocking Sydney. Now in an exclusive tell-all, The Daily Telegraph’s crime reporting duo Mark Morri and Josh Hanrahan reveal why it’s not over yet. LISTEN TO THE PODCAST.

The War video documentary series, created by The Daily Telegraph’s crime editor Mark Morri and crime reporter Josh Hanrahan, gripped Sydney just as much as the gangland killings.

The seasoned crime reporters took a look at the 13 underworld murders across 18 months, taking audiences back to the scenes of some of the most infamous shootings, including the gym where Comanchero boss Tarek Zahed was shot 10 times and his brother Omar was shot and killed.

In an exclusive podcast, the crime duo give a behind-the-scenes look at how The War series came about.

They discuss fallout from the series; the overseas arrest of exiled Comanchero boss Mark Buddle; how they were faced with personal threats made against them; and how they’re now recognised on the street thanks to the series — and TikTok.

But one thing they both agree on — Sydney’s gangland war is set to continue.

LISTEN TO THE EXCLUSIVE PODCAST

“The war isn’t over,” Hanrahan said in the podcast.

“That’s right, it’s just moved on to a new front,” Morri agreed.

Crime reporter Josh Hanrahan and crime editor Mark Morri discuss the state of Sydney’s gangland war. Picture: Jonathan Ng

For the series, they researched the deadly feud between the Alameddine and Hamzy families, as well as taking a deep dive into Sydney’s bikie wars.

“We went back to the beginning, looked at the who, all the people that had been killed, all the major crime figures and players, the why, the reasons behind it and it really stems down to drugs and the drug market in Sydney,” Hanrahan said.

Bikie in exile: Mark Buddle was arrested in North Cyprus in early July. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Comanchero Tarek Zahed (right) was shot 10 times and his brother Omar (left) and killed in a shooting outside an Auburn gym.

“It is such a lucrative business that people are willing to do pretty much anything to get their hands on the proceeds of that business.”

Morri describes it as a “once in a generation gangland war” of the like he hasn’t seen during his 42 years as a reporter.

“The rules have been thrown out by these guys,” Morri said.