Cops ‘photobomb’ Onefour in crackdown

Controversial rap group Onefour had a recent photoshoot interrupted by police, who searched both the musicians and a number of their entourage as they investigate links between rap music and gangs.

Controversial rap group Onefour had a recent photoshoot interrupted by police, who searched both the musicians and a number of their entourage.

The group’s remaining members Spencer “Spenny” Magalogo, Dahcell “Celly” Ramos and Jerome “J-Emz” Misa were planning to pose up in front of their collection of ARIA awards when NSW Police officers attached to Operation Kella stopped them in Mt Druitt on March 13.

The group, who were born and bred in Sydney’s west, are no foreigners to police attention and at one point were once a regular target of the State Crime Command’s bikie-busting Raptor Squad, which has, on some occasions, prevented them from taking to the stage for gigs and, on others, called venues ahead of time to encourage them to cancel the group.

But on this night Magalogo, Ramos and Misa are not the only focus for police - so too are their large entourage.

Police search a man during the Onefour photo shoot in Mt Druitt. Picture: Richard Dobson

Some of those gathered are subject to firearm prohibition orders, giving police the right to carry out a search on them anywhere, anytime.

Misa is one of those searched and it is clearly not the first time, as he stands prepared with his hands on the wall.

The entire time this is happening, members of the group’s entourage film with their phones and video cameras, intent on capturing every moment – presumably for the group’s next music video.

Ultimately, after about 15 minutes, police depart without arresting or laying charges against any of those gathered.

The interaction comes just hours after Detective Inspector Glen Parks briefed The Daily Telegraph about the strong links between rap music and youth gangs.

Showing the same slide show he uses when he gives presentations to schools, Det Insp Parks outlined why police are targeting teen gangs.

“There is no doubt in my mind that we have saved many lives from the work that we do,” he said.

“And yes, sometimes, unfortunately, things happen and young people will have a knife and get involved in a situation where it’s used and someone is seriously injured or killed.

“I couldn’t give you an exact number of the amount of knives we’ve recovered or seized over the last three and a half years, but it would be in the thousands.”

Onefour member Jerome “J-Emz” Misa at the band’s recent photoshoot which was interrupted by police. Picture: Richard Dobson

Originally published as Cops ‘photobomb’ Onefour in crackdown