Mark Morri: Surry Hills fatal shooting of Niddal Acherkouk a sign of more blood to be spilled on Sydney streets

On the surface Sydney’s gangland war seemed to be winding down after a bloody two years. It appeared there was relative peace, but a brazen daylight shooting is a stark reminder the hits are continuing, writes Mark Morri.

On the surface Sydney’s gangland war seemed to be winding down after a frantic and bloody two years as the Alameddine and Hamzy crime families set about destroying each other.

It appeared there was relative peace on the streets but in reality the murders, attempted hits, kidnappings and violence were continuing.

Sydney has sadly become immune to underworld murders unless the victim is high profile or it is carried out in crowded public places like Friday night’s killing of Niddal Acherkouk. This was a brazen, well-planned murder of a former member of the Comanchero, without thought for innocent people. It’s a miracle no one was caught in the crossfire.

The shooting is a clear sign all is not well in the underworld.

NSW cops have been pretty successful in shutting down the Alameddine-Hamzy war, with the arrests of major players prompting even bigger crime bosses to flee the country before the cops could nab them.

People are pictured around a man that was fatally shot at Cleveland Street and Crown Street in an underworld shooting. Picture: supplied.

However the tensions never went away, particularly after the shooting of “Mr Big” Alen Moradian last year.

No one can give you an exact figure, but it would be fair to say in Sydney there would not be a week when there is not a contract out on more than one person’s life – and there are plenty of people ready to pull the trigger. No one is off limits and the motive for getting a bullet is often senseless.

Gunmen take aim as the crime figure dashes from vehicle. Picture: Supplied.

Niddal Acherkouk who was killed in an underworld shooting in Surry Hills last night. Picture: Supplied.

Police and paramedics pictured on scene at Cleveland Street and Crown Street.

Acherkouk was not considered a big player by any means – in fact, many people in the underworld didn’t even know who he was. But the rumour was he was involved in a “drug rip’’ and in today’s world, that’s enough.

Will it lead to reprisal killings? Who knows. The cops will do their best, but with ruthless crime figures worth hundreds of millions of dollars, who care little about other people’s lives, there will undoubtedly be more.