Cops reveal the surprise biggest change from Razzak-Darwiche feud and today’s gang war in Sydney

One of the state’s top cops says the level of violence in the Razzak-Darwiche war made Sydney’s streets more like Mexico.

Grant Taylor has in recent years been at the forefront of much of the police crackdown on the Alameddines.

But his path to becoming one of the state’s most experienced crime fighters began some two decades ago, investigating the Razzaks and the Darwiches in Sydney’s first middle eastern crime feud.

Mr Taylor knows “The Road to War” — the title of The Daily Telegraph’s new three-part mini series on the Razzak-Darwiche conflict — all too well, having been one of the original investigators on Taskforce Gain which was set up to bring an end to the family feud.

He said the level of violence back then was “monumental” in comparison to today’s conflict, likening some of the attacks to scenes more reminiscent of Mexico.

Police examine some of the almost 100 bullet holes fired in a home on Lawford St in Greenacre in 2003 – the most infamous incident of the Razzak-Darwiche conflict. Picture Sarah Rhodes

Detective Chief Superintendent Grant Taylor was one of the original investigators on Taskforce Gain, set up to stop the conflict between the Razzaks and Darwiches. Picture: NCA Newswire/ Gaye Gerard

“Back in those days we really saw the wild west in southwest Sydney at the time,” Detective Chief Superintendent Taylor told The Daily Telegraph.

“The shooting murders back in those days, were probably three to four times the amount of murders occurring today.”

The Razzaks and Darwiches were the initial incarnation of what in recent years, has infamously been the Hamzys and Alameddines.

Just like the modern conflict, the feud that kicked off two decades ago began over a dispute about drug territory, escalated with a series of drive-by shootings, and then exploded because of attempted murders and murders.

Episode 1 of The Road to War focuses heavily on the shocking double murder that occurred on Lawford St in Greenacre, which saw close to 100 bullets sprayed into a fibro home – killing the intended target Ziad Razzak, but also innocent victim Mervat Hamka.

But according to Mr Taylor, tensions had been building up to that shooting for a fortnight, following the firing of no less than 55 bullets at Ziad’s father Frank at Condell Park.

Ziad Razzak was killed in the Lawford St shooting, as was an innocent woman, Mervat Hamka (nee Nemra).

“A number of shots were fired into a vehicle out the front of the house, now that was a rouse to get him (Frank) to come out of the house,” Mr Taylor recalled.

“He came out of the house, and I think some 50 shots were fired at him, but incredibly he wasn’t hit.

“What was a concern to us and something you just don’t see as much these days, the attackers were not only using handguns, but assault rifles.

“It was something that was right out there from the streets of Mexico, it was crazy times. That really started what we’d call ‘the war’ out there that day.”

In his role at the State Crime Command, Mr Taylor remains at the forefront of some of the biggest criminal investigations in NSW.

He said looking back at the Razzak-Darwiche feud, and comparing it to those we see in the current day, there is a clear difference – the use of technology.

Ahmad Fahda who was aligned with the Razzak clan, was shot dead in a hail of bullets in 2003, in a further escalation of the feud.

His brother Mohammed Fahda later avenged his brothers death, by killing rival gang member Abdul Darwiche at Bass Hill.

Mr Taylor said today’s underworld figures communicating via encrypted messaging apps is a far cry said from “hands on” approach of the early 2000s.

“If they wanted to have ‘A’ killed by ‘B’ they would meet in a park, they would talk to each other, and exchange the intelligence about a certain crime network,” he said.

“Today, that could occur from the other side of the globe, where an individual could put out a contract on an encrypted network.

“It’s less hands on, there’s less person-to-person contact, which makes it very challenging for law enforcement.”

Originally published as Cops reveal the surprise biggest change from Razzak-Darwiche feud and today’s gang war in Sydney