Bilal Haouchar sentencing in Lebanon shows Sydney’s gangsters are not safe in the Middle East

Analysis: The jailing of Bilal Haouchar for eight years is proof that underworld figures fleeing the long arm of he law in Sydney are no longer safe abroad with cops already eyeing their next targets, writes Mark Morri.

Bilal Haouchar was living to live the life in Lebanon until recently. Picture: Josh Hanrahan.

For decades now, many alleged Sydney gangsters would flee their Bankstown roots on first-class tickets to Beirut, believing their Lebanese heritage would safeguard them from being deported home to face the music when NSW cops were closing in on them.

Not only that, many felt comfortable they could still manage their crime networks there with their encrypted devices, or go-betweens who made regular visits to the Middle East to get their instructions.

Most Sydney crooks thought they were safe from the long arm of the NSW Police Force.

They are not.

The arrest, conviction and jailing of Bilal Haouchar for eight years are proof of that, and will mean there are a few expats who have warrants out for them feeling a little nervous.

There was a feeling among the underworld Haouchar was paying the price for doing international business while in Lebanon, and that he was making too much money and not sticking to keeping things simple by dealing with trusted associates back home.

There was a school of thought his charges were of an international nature and that was the only reason he was charged. Again, they are wrong.

Bilal Haouchar’s arrest sent shockwaves through Sydney’s underworld

Bilal Haouchar’s arrest shot taken in Lebanon

The Haouchar breakthrough is a warning shot to those hiding out there that NSW Police will give Lebanese authorities much more than newspaper clippings when they target them because they have briefs of evidence strong enough to convince a magistrate to issue an arrest warrant.

No doubt they will be more than happy to share that with their Lebanese counterparts.

“Who will be next?” is the big question.

NSW cops privately did not think the charges would go anywhere, and were just happy to disrupt Haouchar’s criminal activity, but they are now looking for their next scalp.

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