Sydney drive-by shootings linked to ‘bikie gangs, drug spats’: Police

Police are investigating twenty-six public place shootings across NSW since August 1. It comes as gunmen unleashed a hail of bullets into two Sydney homes last night just 24 hours after similar nearby attacks.

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A wave of violent shootings which have terrorised Sydney streets are likely linked to bikie gangs and drug spats, police allege.

Police are investigating twenty-six public place shootings across NSW since August 1, including 11 in regional NSW and 15 across Sydney, with six concentrated in the south-west.

Emergency services were called to a home on Runcorn Street, St Johns Park after shots were fired. Picture: Bill Hearne

No one was injured in the ambush but the bullets damaged windows and vehicles. Picture: Bill Hearne

All of the shootings are being treated as targeted but State Crime Command Assistant Commissioner Stuart Smith confirmed that police believe the shooting of Turrella businessman Mohammed Saab on August 26 and former bikie Fares Abounader who was gunned down in Panania last week were linked.

Comm Smith said police had uncovered “tenuous links” to bikie gangs and organised crime with both shootings and asked anyone with information on any of the gun violence to come forward. It is not suggested Mr Saab had criminal connections, nor is there any suggestion of wrongdoing on his part.

“We have intelligence linking those two victims with outlaw motorcycle gangs… these two we have significant interest in and those that we require help from the public,” Comm Smith said.

Police have established a crime scene and anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers. Picture: Bill Hearne

“We’ve uncovered at least five indicators around why (Mr Abounader’s) shooting occurred... we’ve had discussions with particular OMCGs about acceptable behaviour.

Anyone that participates in a public place shooting carries 25 years to life in prison.”

Comm Smith said “small calibre pistols” were being investigated as the main weapon in most of the shootings and said the spike in violence was due to both personal feuds and drug trafficking gone sour.

“There’s a lot of interpersonal conflict that’s occurred, there are low level disputes occurring over drug dealing… we have seen COVID-19 putting some pressure in terms of the ability of organised crime to move illicit prohibited drugs into the state,” he said.

“There is some indication that it’s reflecting a higher than average price for drugs, which it is possible that some of this low level stuff is completely occurring around the payment of drugs.”

Nine people have been charged in relation to eight of the shootings, with nine other public place shootings still being actively investigated and 20 persons of interest being spoken to by police in the coming days.

South West Metropolitan Region Commander Acting Assistant Commissioner Peter McKenna said police would “come down hard” on shooters regardless of their affiliation.

“It’s not acceptable under any circumstances.there’s good people in these communities don’t need to put up with this,” Ast Comm McKenna said.

“It doesn’t matter who is involved in these shootings. That’s not acceptable, and we will come down hard on them.”