Slain ‘Mr Big’ shot dead at Bondi Junction in suspected gangland hit was ‘living in fear’ in secret hide-out

The Comanchero bikie and underworld ‘Mr Big’ knew there was a target on his back. He spent a year changing addresses and cars hoping nobody would find him, until he was gunned down on his way to the gym.

A Comanchero bikie was leaving his secret hide-out to go to the gym when two gunmen shot him dead in Bondi Junction on Tuesday morning.

Alen Moradian, 48, had been “living in fear” for the past 12 months and even moved out of the family home he shared with his wife, in order to protect his safety.

Sources close to Moradian said he had regularly changed cars and addresses because he was aware of threats to his life, before being killed just after 8am in the underground car park of his Spring Street apartment block.

“He was just getting in the car to go to the gym when he was shot,” the source said.

“He had been living in fear. There had been multiple threats to his life in the past year and he had changed cars, and changed addresses, hoping no one would find him.”

Moradian was considered one of the ‘Mr Bigs’ of the Sydney underworld and was a patched member of the Comanchero bikie gang.

Shot dead in Sydney: Alen Moradian was a big player in the underworld.

Moradian was also believed to have been part of the Commission, a secret cartel which controls the Sydney drug market.

He was dubbed the ‘Tony Soprano’ of Australia’s cocaine trade by his wife.

The shooting is the latest organised crime network killing to rock Sydney and the eighteenth since late-2020.

Police believe a burnt-out Porsche located on James St, Bondi Junction, about 8.30am, is linked to the shooting. Two men were seen running from the scene by witnesses, both of them remain at large.

They are also investigating whether a second burnt-out vehicle – a Holden Commodore located on McPherson Lane, Zetland – is potentially linked to the shooting.

Homicide Squad Commander Detective Superintendent Danny Doherty confirmed the dead man was a “major player with a big target”: a “high-level criminal identity” with high level links to the underworld.

A massive police operation is underway in Bondi Junction. Picture: Richard Dobson

“The shooting this morning bears the hallmarks of an organised crime murder. It’s being treated as that,” he said.

“We believe this is a targeted shooting and high level organised crime.”

“He’s a major player and because he’s a major player in the organised crime network and also has high links to the Comanchero MCG, he obviously had a big target on his back,” he said.

“There were some shots fired. I know there were a number of shots.”

Officers canvass Spring St following the shooting. Picture: Richard Dobson

Mr Doherty also said police believe there was more than one shooter.

“The initial information was there was at least two shooters or two people involved,” he said.

“This is a well-planned executed murder. This person would have been the intended target.

“There’s police out there now knocking on doors to make sure there’s no retaliation.

“We’re looking for more CCTV. We’re appealing to anyone who may have seen something or heard something not only at the time, but the days leading up to the shooting or immediately after the shooting.”

WIFE LEAVES APARTMENT COMPLEX

Moradian’s wife, Natasha Moradian, was seen leaving a Bondi Junction apartment complex around 11am, accompanied by another man.

Ms Moradian, wearing a jumper and tracksuit, appeared distressed as she walked to a silver vehicle parked up the road.

She did not provide comment when approached by The Daily Telegraph but the man dressed in a suit said it was “bad timing”.

A huge part of Bondi Junction was shut down.

Police were have established three crime scenes. Pictures: Richard Dobson

BURNT-OUT CAR

Local business owner Anthony Pacitto was in the middle of the morning rush at Zetland’s Cicco cafe when he saw smoke billowing from around a corner, before running over to find the car completely alight.

“I ran over because I saw the smoke and because I know people who live there,” Mr Pacitto said.

“When I got there we had to move back because it was so hot. There was another explosion and when I got back to the cafe I heard another one.

“The fire fighters got here in four minutes, they were fantastic.”

Local residents Kieran and Ulrich were some of the first on the scene.

“I just walked out to have a cigarette, saw the smoke, heard the horn going (and) so I assumed it was a car (on fire),” local resident Kieran said.

I got on the phone to Triple-0 straight away.”

Firefighters were called to extinguish the car fire in Alexandria. Picture: Jeremy Piper

The shell of the burnt out car in Zetland. Picture: Jeremy Piper

“He (Kieran) ran upstairs to the top level to try and have a look over and all you could see was the burning car, then the fireys came, but I couldn’t see any people or hear any people,” Ulrich said.

“It looked like that car was parked right out the front of the closed garage of our neighbours, we were nervous that it was them, locked in their garage in a burning car.

“There was about eight explosions, a couple of big ones.”

In Bondi Junction, pedestrians and commuters were been warned to avoid the area between Spring St (cnr Newland St) and Denison St as investigations began.

In a statement, NSW Police said: “A police operation is underway on Spring St, Bondi

A police helicopter hovered over the scene as police taped off the area.