The specialised NSW Police team smashing Sydney’s Asian crime gangs

They are some of the biggest players in Sydney’s murky underbelly, responsible for many of the drugs on the streets of the city. But a specialised group of police have made it their business to find their vulnerability and exploit it.

They are some of the biggest players in Sydney’s murky underbelly, responsible for many of the drugs on the streets of the city.

But they have no interest in flash cars or rap videos, or being involved in bloody tit-for-tat gang wars.

South East Asian organised crime networks are a different beast to the bikie gangs and crime clans responsible for many of the headlines in Sydney and Australia in recent years.

“It’s not about owning the turf and being a power player, it’s just about doing business and making money,” NSW Police Organised Crime Squad boss Detective Superintendent Peter Faux said.

Over the past 18 months, eight NSW Police strike forces have dismantled gangs from countries like Vietnam, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, Taiwan, Hong Kong and China.

NSW Police are cracking down on Asian organised crime gangs, with eight strike forces out of State Crime Command making more than 80 arrests since March 2022. Picture: NSW Police

Those strike forces have arrested more than 80 people and charged them with crimes including supplying and importing drugs, and even murder.

They have seized $2 billion worth of ice, one tonne of cannabis, $14 million worth of property and 24 guns.

Drug and Firearms Squad boss John Watson and Organised Crime Squad commander Peter Faux. Picture: Brendan Read

There are few members of the NSW Police Force who know Asian organised crime as well as John Watson.

The head of the State Crime Command’s Drug and Firearms Squad has spent more than 15 years working on Asian gangs and says their focus is all about making money, without attracting attention.

“Organised crime syndicates hailing from South East Asia are all about flying under the radar,” Detective Superintendent Watson said.

“They do everything they can in order not to attract attention, and that’s the challenge we have before us.

“But squads from the State Crime Command are continuously monitoring affiliates of organised crime and their movement across the Australian border with both illegal drugs and intent to carry out illegal activities that have a serious impact on the state of NSW.”

Police are meeting the challenge head on, with The Daily Telegraph today revealing that only last week two alleged key players in the “Chinese Simon” drug syndicate, Peng Zhang and Yang Wang, were arrested and charged in Sydney.

The two men were allegedly in Australia to extract heroin hidden in batteries, to then be sold on the streets.

Concealing drugs in creative methods is a common tactic for Asian gangs, who in general are far more frugal with the money they spend.

A whopping 2.2 tonnes of ice, worth more than $1.5 billion, was found in marble slabs by Strike Force Chellington. Picture: NSW Police

Some of the enormous amounts of drugs seized by Strike Force Lollback. Picture: NSW Police

This is in contrast to other crime clans and bikie gangs who still rely on old-school methods such as having inside men to get their drugs through Australia’s ports or airports, and into the mainland.

Asian gangs operating under the radar has led to NSW Police adapting how they target them.

The Organised Crime Squad and Drug and Firearms Squads have been working hand-in-hand on many of the successful strike forces.

“Targeting these transnational syndicates takes a multifaceted approach by the Organised Crime Squad and the Drug and Firearms Squad,” Det Supt Watson said.

“Our squads are probably the most capable and the best detectives when it comes to navigating organised crime.

The Organised Crime Squad and Drug and Firearms Squad, run by Peter Faux and John Watson are working closely together to crack down on Asian crime gangs. Picture: Brendan Read

A total of 10 people were charged as part of NSW Police Strike Force Chellington. Picture: NSW Police

“(From) drugs and firearms, to a whole range of extortions, my squad has even investigated murders, all these elements have links to organised crime.

“So that's that’s really the picture of Asian organised crime right now in New South Wales for us. Yes, it is here, and yes it’s bubbling below the surface, but we know where to look.

“And that’s why we’re seeing the results that we’re seeing.”

Asian crime first burst onto the scene in NSW in the 1980s with the rise of the 5T street gang that ran riot through Cabramatta.

Their dominance over the heroin trade saw thousands of drug deals being carried out in the suburb daily.

That led to a turf war with almost nightly drive-by shootings and assassinations of rivals, including links to the death of politician John Newman.

One of nine guns seized as part of Strike Force Cripe which led to 36 people being charged, 230kg of Cannabis, $1.5 million dollars cash, plus heroin, MDMA and meth seized. Picture: NSW Police

Just a small amount of the millions of dollars in cash seized by NSW Police State Crime Command from Asian gangs through recent Strike Forces. Picture: NSW Police

Much like the focus placed on bikie gangs and crime clans in recent years, the attention put on Asian gangs in the 1980s and into the 1990s, taught them a valuable lesson.

Where the murders of Sydney’s current gang war have been often public executions outside gyms, followed by burnt out getaway cars, the killings allegedly carried out by Asian gangs in recent years have been more subtle.

Jacky Chong Kai Wong’s remains were found buried on a farm outside Bathurst in April 2022.

Police allege Mr Wong was cultivating cannabis on the farm when he was killed over a debt he owed to the very drug syndicate he was working for.

Det Supt Watson, whose squad have charged three men over Mr Wong’s murder, said police were “getting smarter, more dynamic and more innovative” around their investigations and vital intelligence gathering.

His counterpart Det Supt Faux said the focus was on breaking Asian gangs down by finding a vulnerability.

“Every group will have a vulnerability and at some stage we’ll find that vulnerability, and we’ll exploit it,” the Organised Crime Squad commander said.

“Because the thing is … the upper echelon of these organised crime groups, they don’t want to touch the commodity, they don’t want to touch the drugs, they don’t want to speak to undercover operatives, they only want one thing – to touch the money.

“So, you know, it’s not good enough now for us to just see a large amount of drugs and then talk about that seizure and taking out three runners who may have turned up to collect the drugs.

“We have evolved so far beyond that.”