Tarek Zahed hit with court order banning him from NSW and wearing Comanchero colours

Colourful bikie Tarek Zahed has been banned from re-entering NSW without notifying police and cannot wear Comanchero colours in order to prevent him “sanctioning” OMCG violence.

The Balenciaga Bikie, Tarek Zahed, has been locked out of NSW and cannot return without telling police his plans, unlocking his phones, and keeping away from fellow Commancheros, a court has ruled.

The decision to reign in the colourful but feared OMCG general comes 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.

Zahed, 41, is understood to be the Sergeant At Arms of the Comancheros’ on a national level as well as the Sydney chapter, police OMCG experts told the NSW Supreme Court.

“The Sergeant at Arms is responsible for the discipline of members and formulating and co-ordinating attacks on rival OMCGs during times of conflict,” Justice Natalie Adams said, summarising the police case this month.

Tarek Zahed outside Downing Centre Court in 2020. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Bianca De Marchi

Designer-loving bikie Tarek Zahed. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Christian Gilles

The Police Commissioner has been seeking a serious crime prevention order against Zahed since March and, in December, finally succeeded.

The case required the police gang experts to reveal Zahed’s criminal past; assaulting police in 1995, using a dog to attack someone in 2001, a drive-by attack on a nail gun-toting enemy, hiding a cash fortune in relatives’ bank accounts to name just a few.

The police case also needed to show Zahed posed an ongoing danger of carrying out a serious crime.

The Comanchero commander is not in Australia, the court heard, it appears he travelled to Lebanon in September 2021 against police wishes.

It’s previously been reported Zahed left Australia legally before being stopped at the Turkish border where he spent several days in limbo, before crossing Mediterranean Sea into Lebanon.

The Supreme Court was told, this month, police now believe Zahed supplied false information to get a travel exemption out of Australia.

Tarek Zahed's rise through the Comancheros

2009: Zahed begins associating with the Comanchero bikie club.
2012: Patches found on Zahed‘s club jacket indicates he was a member of the club since December 2012.
2015: Police pull over Zahed and another Comanchero member believing he was likely a Sergeant At Arms - chapter unknown.
2018: Zahed attends the funeral of Mark Buddle‘s mother in full colours with the Sergeant At Arms and Sydney patches, and confirms to police he holds the rank.
2019: Zahed tells police he is both the NSW Sergeant At Arms and also “no longer a member”.
2020: Zahed becomes the National Sergeant At Arms.
2021: The ‘Balenciaga Bikie’ leaves for Lebanon via Turkey after a series of court appearances and police win a court order restricting his return to NSW.
SOURCE: NSW Supreme Court documents

“(Police OMCG expert) also deposed that after (Zahed) was refused entry to Turkey he

was allowed to travel to another country on false information provided by a Lone Wolf OMCG member,” the documents state.

Justice Adams granted the order saying she was satisfied that Zahed’s seniority in the Comancheros means he could sanction “serious offences of violence on behalf of the OMCG” or could help the club cover up crimes by destroying evidence or influencing witnesses.

“(Zahed’s) longstanding association with and involvement in the Comanchero OMCG, his seniority within the group and his lengthy history of violent offending leads me to conclude that he is likely to continue to be involved in serious criminal activity,” the judge said.

The order means Zahed cannot use any aliases and cannot enter NSW unless he notifies authorities 24 hours beforehand of where he will stay.

The judge said that was to prevent the use of OMCG safe houses.

Tarek Zahed leaving the Downing Centre Court in Sydney. Picture: NCA NewsWire / James Gourley

Once in the state he can only use one phone, registered in his name and known to police that cannot run any encrypted software.

The court heard Zahed had been found with seven mobile phones earlier this year and OMCG clubs are known to use encrypted software.

It was previously reported sources believed Zahed may have been concerned about his communications after an encrypted phone network, known as AN0M, was revealed to be a police sting on a global scale.

If police want to see Zahed’s phone he will have to hand it over or he will be breaching the court order.

He will also have to nominate which car he will drive and cannot modify vehicles to hide guns, drugs or cash, the court ruled.

Perhaps hardest of all is Zahed is forbidden from contacting or spending time with any of his Comanchero brothers or the Bandidos OMCG - he cannot even wear club colours.

“(That condition) would likely prevent, restrict or disrupt his involvement in serious crime related activity,” Justice Adams said.

Tarek Zahed's history of violence

1995: Convicted of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, resisting and assaulting police.
2001: Convicted of maliciously causing a dog to inflict actual bodily harm - eight months periodic detention.
2004: Kicked and stomped a man in a drug deal fracturing his victim‘s skull and causing brain damage. Zahed was given five years prison, three years non parole for the assault and drug dealing.
2011: Zahed fires four bullets from a moving vehicle hitting a man in the ear and shoulder. The shooting came after a car and foot pursuit that included multiple stabbings. The man shot by Zahed had, himself, shot Zahed‘s associate with a nail gun at a McDonald’s restaurant. Eight years prison, five non parole for discharging a firearm with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
2020: Convicted for dealing with the proceeds of crime but later appealed and was bailed. Zahed allegedly moved and withdrawn hundreds of thousands of dollars from accounts in the names of family members - Zahed‘s taxable income that year was just over $1000.
2021: Same day as receiving a good behaviour bond for perverting the course of justice Zahed is arrested over a brawl at Barangaroo. He was fined $1000. Zahed left Australia in September that year. 

The court ruled Zahed’s jewellery cannot bear bikie slogans or logos including the infamous “1%” marker. He cannot possess more than $10,000 in cash, the orders state.

Zahed has made plenty of headlines this year mostly because of his court appearances - but also because of his love of designer threads.

He was wearing Balenciaga when he jumped out at news cameras outside court in January this year before breaking into laughter and asking to correct the record with journalists.

Zahed had been described as wearing a Gucci shirt at a recent court appearance - it was actually Versace, the senior bikie said.

He had just pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice and swearing a false affidavit and was walking out of court with a good behaviour bond when police arrested him again.

This time it was over a brawl at the high-end Italian eatery a’Mare in Sydney’s new Crown Casino complex in Barangaroo.

He copped a $1000 fine after pleading guilty to using violence to cause fear.

Zahed was arrested by police in Melbourne and extradited to NSW in March over a parole breach in March.

Police vowed to fine Zahed for exercising with his brothers during the lockdown, in August, after they were allegedly spotted walking around the Bay Run at 2am.

Zahed has previously sent mixed messages about his role in the Comancheros - he has both denied and admitted to police he is a Comanchero, the court documents state.

But in 2018, police say, Zahed turned up at the funeral for Leslie Buddle - the mother of the Comanchero’s “international commander”.

Zahed had club colours and Sergeant At Arms patches displayed for all to see, the court documents state.

Comancheros Boss Mark Buddle. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Mrs Buddle was buried at Botany in a $45,000 gold casket and her funeral attended by multiple Comancheros in full colours - Zahed was among them but her son Mark Buddle was not.

Mark Buddle left Australia a few years earlier and remains in exile wanted for questioning over serious crimes including murders.

Zahed was believed to have a leading position in the club acting in accordance with Buddle’s wishes.

Ali Bazzi was hit with a similar court order in September. In his judgment, a judge said that Bazzi has been a close associate of Buddle since 2014 and there was evidence to suggest that he may have been National President of the club in about 2017.

Bazzi has since claimed he‘s turned his back on the OMCG life - though police remain sceptical.

It’s unclear what Zahed’s open-ended tour of Lebanon means for the leadership of the Comancheros.