CCTV of ‘contract crew’ released after murder, kidnapping

Police have revealed the gruesome calling card of a Victorian drug cartel suspected of being behind the murder of a young father in Sydney during “six days of carnage”.

A Victorian drug cartel suspected of being behind the murder of a young father in Sydney is known for severing the ears of its hostages, police revealed.

CCTV footage of Rich “Dylan” Choup’s final moments, who is believed to have been killed by a “contract crew”, has been released as detectives hunt those responsible.

Police have obtained chilling footage of a group allegedly linked to his murder, as well as the alleged torture and kidnapping of two other men during six days of “carnage”.

Three incidents being investigated by Strike Force Hallet include the murder of Mr Choup in Sydney last July, and the attempted murder of another man who was shot and buried alive.

Mr Choup’s body was found in bushland south of Sydney, while a 23-year-old who survived a separate shooting stumbled into a Queensland petrol station before collapsing with a bullet lodged in his brain.

Footage of Mr Choup on the day he was last seen alive showed him appearing to be reprimanded by an unknown man who slapped him across the face.

His body was found with part of his right ear severed, the same injury inflicted on a 31-year-old allegedly kidnapped by members of the contract crew in the same week.

NSW Homicide Squad boss, Detective Superintendent Joseph Doueihi, said police had identified the gruesome act as being one of the group’s calling cards.

“Unfortunately, it’s been seen quite often now that part of their torturing technique is to sever ears and fingers and toes off of people they take hostage, in order to try to have them give them the information that they want,” he said.

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The 32-year-old was reported missing on July 29, 2024.

News.com.au has confirmed Mr Choup’s identity with police sources, revealing he was the father of a seven-month-old child at the time his body was found.

Mr Choup “had a huge heart and always puts others before him”, according to a friend who started a fundraiser launched to support the victim's family in September.

“He was the glue to many, committed to bringing all those around him together,” the friend wrote.

“His compassion, loyalty, generosity, humour and positive energy will never be forgotten. Dylan wanted nothing more, but to be a loving father and give his child the best life possible.

“Together as a community, we can show (his partner) and their baby that they are not alone during this difficult journey and help them adjust to their new life.”

The fundraiser, which raised over $41,000 before it stopped accepting donations, made no mention of the alleged circumstances of Mr Choup’s death.

Detective Superintendent Doueihi told media on Monday that police believed Mr Choup “was an employee of that (drug) syndicate and has fallen foul of that syndicate for some reason”.

“We don’t know what the exact nature of the dispute was here,” he said.

“It may be a case of missing drugs or missing money. If I was a betting man, that’s what I would say the situation was.”

‘Six day period of carnage’

Detectives believe the attacks – which occurred over a “six-day period of carnage” – were all linked to a Victorian drug trafficking syndicate.

Footage of multiple men and cars used during the incidents were released on Monday as NSW Police step up their efforts to locate them,

Detective Superintendent Doueihi said it was “highly likely” all three victims were involved in the syndicate in some way.

He said the cartel was predominantly made up of members “from an Asian background”.

The investigation into the three incidents remained “covert” for almost a year, Detective Superintendent Doueihi said, as police built its investigation.

Police have released vision of several men and cars. Picture: NSW Police

Sydney kidnapping, torture

The first episode took place on July 19, 2024 when a 31-year-old man was allegedly kidnapped near Auburn in Sydney’s southwest.

He was allegedly tortured by his captives and had part of his right ear severed before being released the same day.

Although the man never reported the incident, detectives searched a Canley Vale property where the man is believed to have been held on October 10.

During the search, police located a box cutter which was seized for further forensic analysis.

The boxcutter seized from Canley Vale. Picture: Supplied

Police have obtained CCTV of two vehicles travelling in convoy at the intersection of Freeman Ave and Sackville St, Canley Vale around the time of the incident.

The vehicles were a dark-coloured Audi SQ2 and a white Volkswagen Golf.

Man shot and buried in Queensland

In the second incident, on July 21 last year, a 23-year-old man entered a Queensland service station covered in dirt and with a bullet wound to his head.

He collapsed at the scene in Tamborine St, Jimboomba – west of Brisbane – and staff called police despite his request not to alert authorities.

The man was taken to hospital where it was established he had been shot through the eye and had a bullet lodged in his brain.

The 23-year-old (blurred) looks into the boot of a car in Nambucca July 20, 2024. Picture: NSW Police

He entered another petrol station with a gunshot wound the next day. Picture: NSW Police

Queensland and NSW police believe the man had been buried in a shallow grave, with those responsible likely unaware he crawled out of his shallow grave to seek help a short time later.

“For someone to survive that is a miracle,” Detective Superintendent Doueihi said, adding it was suspected the man was “lured” across the border from NSW.

CCTV captured a white Hyundai Getz at a roadhouse in Nambucca on the Mid North Coast of NSW about 5:30am on Saturday, July 20, 2024 – the day before the attempted murder.

Four males were also seen on CCTV.

One is believed to be the victim, suggesting he may have been picked up in NSW and driven to Queensland before being shot and buried.

Footage from the Nambucca petrol station showed him looking in the boot of the Getz while other men exited the car.

One man police would like to speak to as part of inquiries. Picture: NSW Police

Murder of Rich Choup

The third incident was the alleged murder of Mr Choup, 32, a father whose remains were discovered in bushland more than a month after he went missing on July 25, 2024.

Mr Choup had told friends he had a meeting in Cabramatta and asked they wait nearby.

CCTV captured Mr Choup meeting with a man on Railway Pde, who appeared to slap him and order him toward a car about 6:25pm.

Detective Superintendent Doueihi said the slap “demonstrates the level of hierarchy” between the two men and suggested Mr Choup feared the other man.

“For Mr Choup just to sit there and be slapped in public would suggest to me that person that was speaking to him holds a much higher position in that organisation than he did,” he said.

“There was no resistance there, there was no attempt to flee, there was no attempt to strike back.”

Young dad Rich Choup’s remains were found more than a month later. Picture: NSW Police

Both men were captured walking towards a grey Audi SQ2 – potentially the same vehicle used in the Canley Vale kidnapping. Mr Choup was reported missing four days later.

On the morning of August 31, 2024, officers were called to bushland off Heathcote Rd, Lucas Heights after reports trail bike riders discovered human remains.

The remains were later confirmed to be those of Mr Choup – a post-mortem confirmed he was fatally shot and that the top of his right ear had been severed.

Police believe the injury to his ear suggests he may have been tortured before being shot dead.

Trail bike riders made the grim discovery in Lucas Heights. Picture: Supplied

Detectives have also released footage of a white Lexus and white Audi RS3 from around the time Mr Choup was last seen.

Two males captured in the CCTV, seen allegedly moving the vehicles before and after Mr Choup’s disappearance are also of interest to police.

The Audi, which was stolen and fitted with cloned number plates, was found burnt out in Sydney’s west in August last year.

Detective Inspector Doueihi said it was believed “that the persons involved are common to all three incidents” – but not every person shown in CCTV was involved in each incident.

The men depicted are described as being a mix of either Asian and Pacific Island background.

“We do believe that this particular crew, or crews, were contracted to conduct these activities. We do not believe that they are offshore,” he said.

“We believe they are still within the country.”

Anyone with information should contact Crime Stoppers, 1800 333 000.