Undercover officer caught Brothers 4 Life gang members in a police sting, court heard
Janet Fife Yeomans
The Daily Telegraph
January 17,2014
Three key members of the violent western Sydney gang Brothers for Life were caught through a police sting, it was revealed in court yesterday.
Members did not know that they were dealing with an undercover cop as the gang continued to plan and commit offences, undeterred by the arrests of a dozen members in recent months, Central Local Court was told.
But knowing the police were watching them in general, the gang used "low level members" to commit the crimes, Crown prosecutor Victoria Garity said.
The story behind the high-profile arrests of three gang members after a police sweep of properties in Sydney and on the NSW central coast earlier this month - Farhad Qaumi, his brother Mumtaz, and Masieh Amiri - was revealed as Amiri, 27, a trainee hairdresser, applied for bail.
Surveillance and telephone intercepts caught him discussing obtaining a bag containing drugs, a sawn-off pump action shotgun and a Smith and Wesson revolver from the undercover operative, Ms Garity alleged.
There were loud sobs from one female family member in court as Amiri appeared from Parklea prison via videolink.
Amiri appeared to be quietly praying during most of the bail hearing, his lips moving as he stroked his closely-shaved black beard.
His mother, who had brought Amiri and his sister Wajeha Amiri, from Afghanistan as children, was too upset to join the family members in court, Ms Amiri said.
"It's a very big deal for our family. If (our mother) comes here, she would faint," Ms Amiri told the court.
"She isn't strong enough to come here."
She said their mother and father did not work and were able to supervise Amiri at their Kellyville home if he was released on bail. The days he was not at college studying hairdressing, he would work in a family business that spray painted kitchen cabinets.
Amiri and the Qaumi brothers are members of the Afghan-controlled Blacktown chapter of Brothers for Life.
Amiri's barrister, Mark Higgins, said the undercover officer had acted as "agent provocateur".
He said Amiri's family was a typically migrant family, close-knit who lived and worked together and they had offered a surety of $180,000.
Opposing bail, Ms Garrity said that Amiri faced incredibly serious charges and "the protection of the community in these types of matters is paramount."
Brothers 4 Life gang leader Farhad Qaumi and brother Mumtaz denied bail
Yoni Bashan,Richard Noone and Amy Dale
The Daily Telegraph
January 9,2014
NSW police arrest suspected gang chiefPolice investigate Sydney boat shooting
BROTHERS for Life gang leaders Farhad Qaumi, 31, and his brother Mumtaz Qaumi, 29, have been refused bail in Wyong Local Court this morning.
The pair were arrested in a series of raids across the Central Coast and Sydney yesterday by heavily armed officers from the Tactical Operations Unit and investigators from the Middle Eastern Organised Crime Squad (MEOCS).
A third man, Masieh Amiri, was arrested at Auburn was also refused bail during a brief appearance at Parramatta Local Court.
Farhad Qaumi, known as "the Afghan", was recruited by the gang's founder and Supermax inmate Bassam Hamzy and quickly ascended to the position of "captain" of the Afghan-dominated Blacktown chapter.
NSW Deputy Commissioner Nick Kaldas has warned remaining Brothers For Life members that there will be no let up in the police force's bid to shut the menacing gang down following Qaumi's arrest.
Police believe with the arrest of Qaumi they have now knocked out its two most dominant chapters and had "cut the head off the snake".
"There are only a small number of Brothers For Life members left," Kaldas said in a press conference this morning. "He (Qaumi) is a leader of the group, a leader of a faction.
"Speculation this is the end of the group is premature but I'm optimistic those who have caused the damage are now either in custody or neutralised.
"There are still individuals out there, we know who they are and we will be coming to get them. Come forward now before we come for you.
"We do have a large number of people who are talking to us and we've mapped out exactly what's happened.
"If you have been involved in any of these events, any of these incidents, any of this time, you need to think about coming forward now before we come to you and that's exactly what is going to happen.
"Operation Talon will not rest or stop because of the arrests that have been made. It will continue tonight."
Qaumi's recruitment to B4L allegedly came by direct appointment from the gang's founder, Supermax inmate Bassam Hamzy. Not long after joining he was appointed "captain" of its Afghan-dominated Blacktown chapter.
But today, the Brothers 4 Life leader looked anxious during his brief appearance at Wyong Local Court.
Dressed in a black polo shirt the 31-year-old said nothing as the police prosecutor told the court she was seeking a brief of evidence by February 21.
He was remanded in custody to appear via video link at Central Local Court on March 7.
His younger brother Mumtaz Qaumi was charged with possessing an unauthorised pistol and a prohibited firearm, two counts of supplying a large commercial quantity of a prohibited drug, supplying an indictable quantity of a prohibited drug and knowingly direct criminal activities of a group.
The 29-year-old, dressed in a red Polo Sport t-shirt, leaned back in the dock after he was brought in to court straight after his older brother.
He likewise said nothing during his brief appearance and was also taken back into custody to reappear at Central Local Court on March 7 via video link.
Police charge sheets tendered in court reveal the pair were allegedly in possession of a "0.38 special calibre Smith and Wesson model 10 revolver" in Sydney between November 5 and December 12.
The charge sheets allege they were also in possession of a 12 gauge shortened Mossberg pump action shotgun at the same time.
Farhad Qaumi, of Chittaway Bay, was also accused of being in possession of a 0.38 calibre snub nose revolver between 11pm on January 3 to 12.30am on January 4 at St Marys in Sydney's west.
The charge sheets allege both brothers supplied 1134.2g of "4-bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine" also known as the drug "Nexus" along with 760.22g of "bromo DMA" between November and December last year.
They were also charged with allegedly supplying 150.85g of cocaine.
Police will allege the Qaumi's "did participate in a criminal group, to wit the Brothers for Life" gang from September 13 until their arrest yesterday.
"The Brothers for Life, whose activities are organised and ongoing by directing activities of the group, and knowing that participating contributed to the occurrence of any criminal activity," the charge sheets read.
Neither brothers applied for bail, which was formally refused.
Amiri, dressed in a white shirt was led up from the courthouse cells as his solicitor requested a bail application be made next week.
Amiri is charged with attempting to possess unauthorised pistol, attempting to possess unauthorised prohibited firearm, two counts of supply a large commercial quantity of a prohibited drug, supplying an indictable quantity of prohibited drug and participate in a criminal group.
His bid to be released on bail will be heard at Central Local Court on January 16, with a mention of the case set down for March 6.
QAUMI; THE RISE AND FALL OF A BRUTAL GANGSTER
MAN SHOT AS LUXURY CRUISER SPRAYED WITH BULLETS
HARBOUR CRUISE ENDED IN A BLAZE OF BULLETS
B4L MEMBER CHARGED WITH GUN POSSESSION
Last night a total seven properties were searched, including three at Wyong, Villawood, Guildford, Auburn and Kellyville.
The investigation into Qaumi and his cohorts was formed late last year and codenamed strike force Sitella, which has arrested eight Blacktown chapter members and seized five guns.
The strike force's task was to specifically target Qaumi and bring down the Blacktown chapter of Brothers 4 Life. The Blacktown B4L faction has been at war with its sister-chapter in Bankstown for months, resulting in about a dozen public shootings, including a murder.
Police in November swooped on the gang, arresting 12 members including the gang's
Sydney leader and Bankstown captain Mohammed Hamzy, 28.
With both chapter heads and a swag of senior members and underlings behind bars, yesterday's arrest marks the gang's end.
Last week another alleged B4L member, Fawad Bari, 23, was arrested at St Marys after police allegedly found a .38 revolver in his van.
Qaumi recently became a target after he was fired upon by a gunman while on the luxury yacht Oscar II which was docking at Rose Bay Wharf on New Year's Day.
Also on the boat were a number of B4L members and other colourful Sydney identities. He was treated for a gunshot wound to his shoulder after up to 20 bullets were fired at the vessel.
Man shot as luxury $2500/hr cruiser sprayed with bullets at Rose BayLeigh Van Den Broeke ,Ben McCle;;an and Mark Mirrie
The Daily Telegraph
January 2,2014
THE shooting of a 31-year-old man on a luxury boat at Rose Bay wharf last night is linked to the Brothers For Life crime gang.
After he was shot, the man went to Lamrock Ave, Bondi, about 3km away claiming he had been shot at that location but police believe he wanted to throw them off the alleged crime scene.
The man received a bullet graze to the back. The shooting is believed to be part of a power struggle inside the Middle Eastern crime gang.
More than 20 shots sprayed the luxury cruiser The Oscar II Sydney in Sydney's east.
The Oscar II Sydney can be hired for about $95,000 a week or $2500 an hour. It had two windows shattered when it was fired upon about 11.35pm.
The man was treated at Lamrock Ave, Bondi, for suspected wounds to his shoulder afterreporting he had been shot at 12.35am.
He was taken to St Vincent's Hospital with non-life threatening injuries and was released shortly afterwards.
Investigators spoke to a woman on Lamrock Ave, who assisted them with their inquiries while the man was in the hands of paramedics.
Rose Bay Detective Inspector Damian Henry said police set up a crime scene and discovered "more than 10" bullet casings on the wharf.
"The luxury cruiser has been seized by the marine area command and is being held in Balmain," he said.
Forensic officers started examining the 21 bullet holes riddling the middle of the luxury cruiser in a vertical line, piercing a porthole window, this morning at Marine Police headquarters in Birchgrove.
Witness Vanessa Lahoud was fishing at the wharf when she heard what she thought were fireworks.
She said: "It was pretty terrifying.
"You're just going fishing one night and then this happens. We thought it was fireworks but it turned out it wasn't. I didn't get scared until I saw the police."
The Oscar II is a 31.52 metre luxury cruiser owned by Oscars Hotel Group, which runs nine pubs across Sydney from the CBD to Campbelltown and Wollongong.
The cruiser is rented out on behalf of the group by several charter companies but is also used privately, especially over the festive season, one charter business said.
"It's one of the most exclusive boats," they said.
The Oscar II, which can cater for 70 guests, has two 760 horsepower engines, can travel at up to 18 knots and holds 15,000 litres of fuel and 8000 litres of water.
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