Comanchero bikie associates with links to Tarek Zahed arrested

Two Comanchero bikie associates with links to Tarek Zahed have faced court after being arrested, allegedly in possession of $1 million worth of drugs and a 9mm pistol.

Two Comanchero bikie associates with links to Tarek Zahed have faced court on Thursday after being arrested, allegedly in possession of $1 million worth of drugs and a 9mm pistol.

Omar Terkmani, 37 and Ismael Ratel, 23, were in a Toyota Hiace van when they were stopped by members of the raptor Squad in Eldridge street in Bankstown on Wednesday night.

Police spoke to the two men before searching them and the van, where they allegedly found a large quantity of MDMA, methylamphetamine (ice) and cash.

The men were arrested and taken to Bankstown Police Station.

Tarek Zahed in police custoday in March 2021, after being arrested in a Melbourne mosque and extradited back to Sydney. In September he left the country, despite police legal efforts to detain him. Picture: Julian Andrews

Police then executed a search warrant on a unit on Canterbury Rd, Punchbowl, where they allegedly found more drugs and a 9mm pistol with a detached silencer and ammunition.

In total, police seized 1.2kg of methylamphetamine and 1.08kg of MDMA, which have a combined estimated potential street value of more than $1.1 million.

Ratel, from Chester Hill, was charged with four counts of large commercial drug supply, commercial drug supply, possess unauthorised prohibited firearm, possess unregistered firearm-pistol, possess ammunition without holding licence/permit/authority, and acquire prohibited firearm-subject prohibition order.

Terkmani, from Sefton, was charged with five counts of prohibited drug supply, deal with property proceeds of crime, possess unauthorised prohibited firearm, possess unregistered firearm-pistol, and possess ammunition without holding licence/permit/authority.

Both men faced Parramatta Bail Court on Thursday but neither made an application for bail so remained in custody.
Their lawyer Mostafa Daoudie declined to comment and they are due to return to Bankstown court in February.

Designer-loving bikie Tarek Zahed leaves the Downing Centre in Sydney in April after being in court for the first time after his extradition back to NSW from Victoria over a parole breach. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Christian Gilles

The men were arrested by anti-bikie police Strikeforce Raptor and are understood to be associates of exiled Comanchero heavy-hitter Tarek Zahed.

Zahed, who in September left the country and travelled to Lebanon against police wishes, was effectively locked out of the state by a NSW Supreme Court order earlier this month.

The court ruled he cannot return without telling police his plans, unlocking his phones and keeping away from fellow Commancheros.

The decision to reign in the colourful but feared OMCG general came after Zahed’s history of violence, rise through the underworld and fears he will oversee brutal attacks on behalf of the gang were revealed by police.

The 41-year-old Zahed is believed to be the club’s national Sergeant At Arms - a role traditionally tasked with disciplining members and a plotting attacks on enemy OMCGs.