Police have charged three alleged "contract criminals" as part of a crackdown on "kill car" networks in Sydney. Photo: NSW Police via ABC News
A 16-year-old boy is among three alleged "contract criminals" who have been charged as part of a police crackdown on "kill cars" in Sydney, Australia.
NSW Police said a string of raids under Strike Force Flodine were undertaken this week, leading to the arrests, as well as five cars seized and multiple warrants executed.
Contract criminals are people who are hired by organised crime networks to carry out serious offences like kidnapping or murder, using staged vehicles.
Detectives were investigating recently-formed criminal syndicate, G7, whose members were alleged to be using a network of these "kill cars" to carry out organised crime jobs.
Strike Force Flodine has made a series of arrests in Sydney. Photo: NSW Police via ABC News
The crew is one of several groups of "contract criminals" allegedly using these cars, police say.
From 6am on Thursday (local time), eight search warrants were undertaken in suburbs across the city's south-west.
In addition to the cars, police also seized a firearm, ammunition, $41,000 in cash, as well as GPS trackers and 37 mobile phones.
A 16-year-old boy was arrested in Hinchinbrook and taken to Liverpool Police Station.
He was charged with driving conveyance taken without consent of owner, being carried in conveyance taken without consent of owner, driving without a licence and participating in a criminal group.
The 16-year-old was refused bail to appear in a children's court on Friday.
During a raid in Oran Park, police arrested two men, aged 18 and 21.
They were taken to Camden Police Station, where the younger man was charged with dealing with property intended to be an instrument of crime, conspiracy to take a person intending to commit a serious indictable offence, participating in a criminal group and knowingly dealing with proceeds of crime with intent to conceal.
The older man was charged with possessing or using a prohibited weapon without permit, use, supply, acquire or possessing a defaced firearm, knowingly dealing with proceeds of crime, dealing with property intended to be an instrument of crime and participating in a criminal group.
The pair were refused bail to appear at Bail Court on Friday.
Detective Superintendent Peter Faux said the use of "kill cars" had become a "common denominator in serious and violent crimes linked to organised crime".
"These vehicles aren't just transport, they're tools of violence," he said.
- ABC
