Police angry as government delays ‘unexplained wealth’ law they claim may prevent gang killings

A proposal has long been before NSW cabinet to give police increased powers to target the unexplained wealth of alleged underworld identities, like Mostafa Baluch and Masood Zakaria.

NSW Opposition Labor leader Chris Minns said he’ll back legislation delayed by the state cabinet to take away the “unexplained wealth” of alleged organised crime associates.

“Today we’ll give notice of moving a motion in Parliament to bring in our own legislation to strengthen the rules around police seizing unexplained wealth,” Mr Minns told 2GB’s Ray Hadley this morning.

“(To) make them more in line with the Western Australian laws that are working in WA, where they’re able to go after the drug kingpins, and take and seize Lamborghinis and Mercedes and Rolex watches from people who can’t prove where their wealth comes from

“And we have to break this model that shows these people in our community, driving around in 100 $500,000 cars with seeming impunity and we need to hit them where it hurts and that’s their back pocket.”

New laws designed to take away the mega wealth of alleged gang associates and organised crime bosses are being delayed by state cabinet, despite senior police believing they could have prevented some of the killings in the ongoing gang war.

Since last year a proposal has been before cabinet to give NSW Police the right to seek “unexplained wealth orders” (UWO) against suspected underworld identities.

Attorney-General Mark Speakman is being blamed for delaying a law reform package that would crack down on the mega wealth of organised crime bosses. Picture NCA Newswire/ Gaye Gerard

Last month, after the charging of 18 alleged associates of the Alameddine crime network, Commissioner Karen Webb told how it would be alleged some of those individuals raked in more than $250,000 a week, despite not having “any obvious forms of employment”.

The laws NSW Police want implemented would allow UWOs to be taken out by courts against individuals who police have proved have “wealth more than the lawfully acquired value of their wealth”.

In short, if an individual had a taxable income of $100,000 but had assets of many millions above that and had no way of explaining how they had legally made that money, police could apply to court for a UWO.

After agreeing to grant a UWO, the court would order that individual to pay back the unexplained amount to the state.

Rachad Alameddine, whose income apparantly exceeds three police officers’ salaries per week, is “unemployed”.

One example put to cabinet to highlight the need for reform was a bold claim by Rachad Alameddine at the height of last year’s lockdown.

“All three police combined, I make more than them in a week than they make in a year,” court papers state Alameddine said during his arrest for a Covid breach.

That was despite the 31-year-old being officially listed as “unemployed” on those same court papers.

One senior cop moved to quell fears the laws would see them target “average mums and dads” and said it would cripple the power of organised crime kingpins who pay millions of dollars for murders on Sydney’s streets.

Escaped Alameddine clan heavyweight Masood Zakaria (right) sits in a Lamborghini like the one worth more than $200,000 that he drove before escaping Australia.

“We’re not after people doing a cashy for a lawn mowing job, we’re after people who are killing people or procuring murders in the streets,” they said.

“If we did this 12 months earlier, maybe we would’ve saved a few lives (in the gang war).”

The Daily Telegraph can reveal both police and members of the government are upset the proposals are yet to be approved, with sources claiming it is Attorney-General Mark Speakman who is “dragging his heels” in having it put to parliament.

“Speakman is a long way from agreeing to what’s before him, he thinks its draconian,” a political source said.

Despite the push by police, Mr Speakman said the state’s laws were already “comprehensive” and gave the NSW Crime Commission “intrusive powers to tackle money laundering”.

“We have strong, comprehensive legislation that already arms police and the NSW Crime Commission with extensive and intrusive powers to tackle money laundering, organised crime, use of firearms and unexplained wealth, including search, seizure and examination powers,” he said.

“That said, I am very aware that organised crime is sophisticated, quick to adapt and opportunistic.

Alleged drug importer Mostafa Baluch claimed to have acquired wealth of more than $30 million before his arrest last year as part of the international AN0M sting.

“We cannot be complacent. The focus of our criminal and related law needs to be on tackling the ‘Mr Bigs’ and ruining their business models, not on criminalising addicts instead of treating their addiction.”

It is understood the next time the legislation will be up for debate before cabinet will be Monday night.

Western Australia has the toughest unexplained wealth laws in the country and while NSW Police are keen to emulate them, they also want more power to combat the use of dedicated encrypted devices – the special hi-tech phones used by the underworld.

There are similar laws already in place in countries like Colombia, Indonesia, the UK and U.S.

Police Minister Paul Toole said he and the state government were committed to implementing “the most comprehensive laws in the country to tackle organised crime”.

“Disrupting the flow of cash that fuels violence and underpins these networks is critical to ensuring they stamp them out for good,” he said.

Also arrested during the AN0M sting was alleged drug supplier and Comanchero OMCG associate Ashley Rake, with police finding a Lamborghini, designer clothes and $400,000 in Rolex watches in his Vaucluse unit. Picture: John Grainger

“We will continue to work closely with Police to ensure they have the powers they need to do just that.”

Examples of the individuals who would be targeted by police include many arrested during the AN0M sting of 2021, like alleged drug suppliers Mostafa Baluch – who claimed to have wealth of $30 million – and alleged bikie associate Ashley Rake – who had a Lamborghini, $400,000 in Rolex watches and designer clothes seized at his Vaucluse unit.

Another is Alameddine clan heavyweight Masood Zakaria who before fleeing the country drove a $200,000 Lamborghini and fraudulently bought a $2 million Greystanes home in his wife’s name. It is not suggested that his wife is engaged in any wrongdoing.

While he claimed his massive wealth came from a labour hire business he ran, a police source said that in a whole year Zakaria took next to no calls even remotely related to the company.

“If you had a labour hire business, your phone would be ringing off the hook,” they said.