‘It staggered me and concerned me’: Police smash Sydney’s biggest drug ring

The Commission, allegedly Sydney’s biggest cocaine gang, have been smashed, according to police. Following multiple arrests, the NSW Police Commissioner warned Sydney and the state had a massive drug problem.

The biggest cocaine gang in Sydney, who call themselves “The Commission”, have been smashed by NSW Police after they allegedly sold a staggering 1.2 tonnes of cocaine in just four months onto the city’s streets - valued at $1.8 billion.

Six people were arrested in dawn raids yesterday and are considered the backbone of the drug cartel which controls the distribution and price of drugs on the city streets, while a former Sydney gangster is believed to be controlling things from offshore.

The incredible amount of drugs police allege The Commission sold in just four months has shocked some of the state’s most senior cops, who said it is has exposed that Sydney’s appetite for cocaine is far greater than was ever previously thought.

NSW Police raided a home in Glenfield where they arrested alleged crime figure Akron Hamzy.

Police Commissioner Karen Webb on Thursday warned NSW has a massive drug problem and that more needs to be done to tackle the voracious demand for cocaine in the community.

“We’re alleging that it’s six million deals - that’s 50,000 a day. That is a massive appetite in this city and that concerns me greatly,” she said.

“The market is driven by a demand and that concerns me and what we need to have a conversation about is how do we effect demand.

NSW Police Force Commissioner Karen Webb and Detective Superintendent Peter Faux Commander of Organised Crime Squad. Picture: NewsWire / Damian Shaw

“That’s a bigger question than just law enforcement, we’re at the end of the chain, we arrest those involved in supply.”

Her duputy David Hudson told The Daily Telegraph: “Honestly, it staggered me and concerned me, the scale of this.

“I think it brings into question whether we really have any true idea of the scale of drug use, especially cocaine which is being consumed in this city.

“We certainly believe they were the biggest group supplying drugs (in Sydney) and it is great work to take them off the streets so quickly.”

The Commission first appeared in Sydney’s underworld in early 2021 when a group, believed to be led by Comanchero bikie bosses, put a tax on other crime groups’ imports in an effort to boost drug prices which had plummeted during Covid.

While demand for cocaine and other drugs is always high, one tactic allegedly used by The Commission was to control available supply, by delaying the release of imported drugs into the community.

The home in Glenfield was one of many seizures across Sydney as part of Operation Barograph.

Organised Crime Squad boss Peter Faux said it would be alleged The Commission was supplying drugs to ten major Sydney crime groups, who then on-sold their product to street dealers and others.

“The figure of 1.2 tonne is not an estimate or a guess, but derived from (The Commission’s— communications where we allege the group physically supplied that amount over the four months before Strike Force Baragraph was initiated in July,” Det Supt Faux said.

“It is also supported by the amount of money being discussed in their communication.

“We hear a lot of narratives and reporting around The Commission and who is allegedly involved in The Commission.

“We are confident that those arrested are part of ‘The Commission’ because of the methodology they used and the amount of drugs they allegedly had access to.”

Six people were arrested in the operation on Wednesday.

Police also allege some of those charged on Wednesday refer to themselves as “The Commission” in communication with each other, and higher powers overseas.

Jibreel Bakir, 25, and his brother Laith Bakir, 26, along with Duy Nguyen, 34, Akrom Hamzy, 27, Houssam Khoder-Agha, 27, and Khalid Mohamed, were all charged with various offences by Strike Force Barograph officers on Wednesday relating to their alleged roles working for The Commission.

Jibreel Bakir was the only individual to face court on Wednesday where, charged with 13 offences including dealing with the proceeds of crime and supplying a large commercial of a prohibited drug, he made no application for bail and was remanded in custody until his next court appearance on November 13.

A duffel bag allegedly containing 20kg of cocaine was also recovered in the raid.

The other six men were all charged with similar offences and are due to face court today.

Detectives from Strike Force Barograph, assisted by the NSW Crime Commission and Australian Crime Intelligence Commission, raided more than a dozen properties yesterday during which they cocaine - including one duffel bag containing 20kgs, all with different stamps, which are used as identifying markers for which crime group has purchased it in the consignment.

“This is exactly how The Commission has worked in the past,” Det Supt Faux said.

Police will allege communications between the gang show how they tried to control the amount of drugs they would release so as to keep the price up.

Some weeks minimal drugs were released, while in others police say they flooded the streets with up to 250kgs of cocaine.

“We do not believe they are the only group supplying cocaine but certainly believe the largest in Sydney,” Det Supt Faux said.

Many of those men arrested by Strike Force Barograph detectives were not well known to police, as opposed to the major criminals long thought to be involved in The Commission.

Det Supt Faux said the changing face of the group could be as a result of many original members being “dead, jailed or (living) overseas”.

Police allege the potential cash flow for The Commission was in the billions of dollars, highlighting just how ravenous Australia’s appetite for drugs is.

When cocaine arrives into Australia it does so for as little as $60,000 a kilogram, but by the time that is on-sold it crime groups' it can sell for anywhere between $180,000 to $250,000.

Once the drug has been cut and dilated down to be sold in bags as small as 0.2 grams, that kilogram is conservatively worth $1.5 million.

Originally published as ‘It staggered me and concerned me’: Police smash Sydney’s biggest drug ring