Did Asian crime lords order kidnap killing that’s shocked Sydney?

Detectives investigating the savage abduction and killing of a woman and beating of an eight year old child in Sydney’s south west have launched a massive manhunt for the evil perpetrators of a crime that’s horrified the city.

• PM horrified by savage crime

Detectives investigating the savage abduction and killing of a woman and beating of an eight year old child are examining whether the horrendous crime was the work of Asian drug lords.

Sources have told the Telegraph drug dealing was a line of inquiry investigators from Strike Force Bushfield were following, as they hunt for the woman’s killers.

While there is no suggestion 45-year-old Thi Kim Tran had a criminal record or was involved directly in the drug trade, police are looking at associates of hers - and their potential drug debts - in their hunt for a motive.

“Drug connections are definitely part of the investigation but at this stage there are a lot of lines to follow, this is a fast moving investigation,” one source said.

“It’s certainly something police are looking at, this is some brutal horrible stuff, and it’s certainly looking like it was targeted, whether it’s a warning sign to someone or something else? That remains to be seen.”

The sources said detectives are also probing whether the women’s kidnapping and subsequent death was ordered by an Asian crime gang.

Masked killers brandishing a gun and baseball bat broke into Ms Tran’s Bankstown home on Thursday night, assaulted an eight-year-old boy with a baseball bat before kidnapping the 45-year-old.

Her body was later found in a burnt out car in the nearby suburb of Beverly Hills. Police sources have told the Telegraph that while they believe she was alive when she was dragged from her home and into a waiting SUV, they do not believe she was alive when the car was set alight.

Police and Forensics are at the home. Photo: Gaye Gerard / NewsWire

She was home alone with the children on Thursday when the masked intruders broke in, with her husband interstate for work.

Police are now probing whether the attackers knew he was away at the time, and intentionally targeted Ms Tran.

On Saturday, both boys who watched the horror incident unfold remained in hospital, with the eight-year-old boy in a medically induced coma after undergoing head surgery.

It’s understood family members rushed to be with the boys, and remain at their sides as they recover.

Screenshot from a video of car fire at Beverly Hills last night where a body found in the back of the car. Pic Supplied.

Fire and Rescue NSW extinguished the blaze, but the car was destroyed, a crime scene has been established and an investigation is underway. Photo: Gaye Gerard / NewsWire

Police and Forensics are at the home, where a crime scene has been established after a 45-year-old woman was kidnapped from her home. Photo: Gaye Gerard / NewsWire

A view of the burnt out car being removed. Photo: Gaye Gerard / NewsWire

On Saturday Bankstown commander Superintendent Rod Hart told the Sunday Telegraph the main focus of his troops on the ground, while the task force hunted for the killers, was the welfare of the two children.

“We are all very concerned about these two poor kids, their well-being is our main concern. They are victims in all of this,” he said.

The officers on shift who were confronted with the horrible scene are now on days off, and well supported by the police force.

Ms Tran’s home remained empty on Saturday, the only sign of the tragic attack was the police dust covering the front door.

Originally published as Did Asian crime lords order kidnap killing that’s shocked Sydney?