Latest news with #VictorianSyndicate
The Guardian
10 hours ago
- The Guardian
Man shot through eye and buried alive survived attempted murder by ‘contract crew', NSW police allege
Homicide squad detectives investigating the murder of Rich 'Dylan' Choup are appealing for information from the public regarding two other violent incidents they believe could be linked. Strike Force Hallet was established to investigate a 'contract crew' allegedly responsible for the death of Choup in July 2024; the separate kidnapping and torture of a man in Canley Vale; and the attempted murder of another man in Queensland. Homicide squad Det Supt Joseph Doueihi alleged on Monday that 'all three offences occurred within a six-day period between 19 July and 25 July'. 'We will allege that this syndicate that's responsible for these three offences are linked to a Victorian drug trafficking syndicate,' he said. New South Wales police allege that on 19 July 2024, a 31-year-old man was kidnapped from the Auburn and Regents Park area and taken to a location in Canley Vale where he was tortured and had part of his ear cut off. 'Later that day, he was released,' Doueihi said. Detectives searched a Canley Vale property – where the man was believed to have been held – on 10 October 2024 and allegedly found a box cutter. 'We will allege that was the box cutter that was used to sever part of that man's ear,' Doueihi said on Monday. Detectives released an image of the box cutter as well as CCTV of two vehicles travelling in convoy at the intersection of Freeman Avenue and Sackville Street in Canley Vale around the time of the incident. The vehicles were described as a dark-coloured Audi SQ2 and a white Volkswagen Golf. 'The relevance of the Audi is that it was also [allegedly] later used in the suspicious disappearance of Mr Choup,' Doueihi said. Doueihi said on 21 July last year, a 23-year-old man from NSW was lured to Queensland by a group of males 'not knowing what their ulterior motive was'. 'The male was shot in the head through the eye with the bullet lodged in his brain [and] he was buried in a shallow grave,' the detective said. Doueihi said that unbeknownst to the offenders, who believed the man was dead, the 23-year-old crawled out of the grave and made his way to a nearby service station in Jimboomba. 'Covered in dirt … the man asked staff not to call emergency services [but] he collapsed shortly after, prompting them to seek help. He was taken to hospital,' NSW police said in a statement on Monday. Police released CCTV of a white Hyundai Getz seen at a roadhouse in Nambucca on the mid-north coast on Saturday 20 July 2024 – the day before the alleged attempted murder. Sign up to Morning Mail Our Australian morning briefing breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion Doueihi said 'incident three', the primary investigation of Strike Force Hallet, was the alleged murder of Choup. On the afternoon of 31 August 2024, officers were called to bushland off Heathcote Road at Lucas Heights after trail bike riders discovered human remains. The remains were later confirmed to be those of 32-year-old Choup, who was reported missing to police on 29 July. A post-mortem confirmed Choup had been fatally shot and that the top of his right ear had been severed. 'We believe that it's very highly likely related to something that's gone wrong within that drug trafficking syndicate from Melbourne,' Doueihi said. 'We believe that Mr Choup was an employee of that syndicate and has fallen foul of that syndicate for some reason – we don't have the exact details'. Choup was last seen on 25 July in Cabramatta when he told friends he had a meeting. CCTV captured Choup meeting with a man on Railway Parade who appeared to reprimand and slap him, the detective said on Monday. Both men were then seen walking towards a grey Audi SQ2. Anyone with information about the CCTV, the men in it or the vehicles was urged to contact Crime Stoppers.
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Yahoo
Buried alive: miracle escape after man shot through eye
A man who crawled out of a shallow grave with a bullet lodged in his brain is among the victims of a criminal gang who went on a six-day rampage spanning multiple states. The incidents include the kidnapping and torture of one man and the murder of another in NSW, along with the attempted murder in Queensland. Investigators believe the incidents, occurring in July 2024, are linked to a Victorian drug-trafficking syndicate. In one incident, a 23-year-old man attended a service station in a small Queensland town covered in dirt. Despite suffering a gunshot wound, he asked staff not to call for help before he collapsed. A trip to hospital confirmed he had been shot through the eye and had a bullet lodged in his brain. Police believe he was shot and buried alive, with his attackers unaware he was still breathing. "It's absolutely surprising that he did survive," NSW Police Detective Superintendent Joseph Doueihi told reporters on Monday. "The bullet lodged in his brain and for someone to survive that is a miracle." But the unlikely story of survival was just one event in a six-day string of carnage, which included the killing of Rich Choup. Trail bike riders found the 32-year-old's remains on August 21, 2024 at Lucas Heights, in Sydney's south. He had been shot and had the top of one ear severed, an autopsy found. Police believe Mr Choup was a member of the drug-trafficking syndicate but had fallen foul of its higher-ups. CCTV footage released by police showed a man slap the victim across the face, but he did not resist or attempt to flee. Mr Choup was reported missing days later. His body was not found for weeks, but police believe he was murdered shortly after his disappearance. In a third incident, a 31-year-old was allegedly kidnapped from southwest Sydney. He also had part of his ear cut off before being released. He did not report the matter to police, but months later officers raided the Canley Vale property where the alleged torture took place. "Unfortunately, it's been seen quite often now that part of their torturing technique is to sever ears and fingers and toes," Det Supt Doueihi said. While the exact nature of the dispute was yet to be determined, it might relate to missing drugs or money. "If I was a betting man, that's what I would say the situation was," Det Supt Doueihi said. Police have released CCTV of three cars allegedly involved in the incidents, including a grey Audi they think might have been used in the Sydney kidnapping along with the killing of Mr Choup. NSW Premier Chris Minns called the attackers "animals" and said the public was horrified by the crimes. "There is absolutely no tolerance for this kind of shocking violent behaviour (but) police have got a good record of smashing up organised crime and violent gangs," he said.
News.com.au
18 hours ago
- News.com.au
‘Contract crew' wanted for questioning over torture, murder, kidnappings
A 'contract crew' is wanted for questioning after a six-day crime spree, including murder, torture and kidnappings, stretching the length of Australia. Police believe a Victorian drug trafficking syndicate may be linked to the three incidents that occurred within a six-day period mid last year. The first incident occurred about 5am on Sunday 21 July 2024 when a 23-year-old man wandered into a service station in Jimboomba, Queensland covered in dirt with a bullet wound through his head. 'Police believe the man was shot and buried, with those responsible likely unaware he crawled out of his shallow grave to seek help a short time later,' a police statement said. 'Although the man asked staff not to call emergency services, he collapsed shortly after, prompting them to seek help. 'The 23-year-old man was taken to hospital where it was established he had been shot through the eye and had a bullet lodged in his brain.' Two days earlier in Canley Vale, Sydney police believe a 31-year old man was kidnapped and tortured and had part of his ear severed before being released later the same day. The incident wasn't reported to police; however, when detectives executed a search warrant on the property where the man was believed to have been held, they discovered the box cutter they believe was used to sever his ear. The third incident involved the discovery of the remains of 32-year-old Rich 'Dylan' Choup in bushland off Sydney's south. 'A post-mortem confirmed Mr Choup had been fatally shot and that the top of his right ear had been severed,' the police statement continued. 'Mr Choup was last seen about 6.10pm on Thursday 25 July 2024 in Cabramatta, where he told friends he had a meeting and asked they wait nearby. 'About 6.25pm, CCTV captured Mr Choup meeting with a man on Railway Parade who appeared to reprimand and slap him.' Although Mr Choup was reported missing on Monday, July 29, 2024, it wasn't until about 4.40pm on Saturday, August 31, 2024, that officers attached to Sutherland Shire Police Area Command were called to bushland off Heathcote Rd at Lucas Heights after reports trail bike riders discovered human remains. The remains were later confirmed to be those of Mr Choup. As part of the ongoing investigations, police have released CCTV and images and are appealing to those who may have information to contact law enforcement. CCTV from a roadhouse in Nambucca Heads on the NSW Mid North Coast about 5.30am on Saturday, July 20, 2024 shows a white Hyundai Getz. Four male passengers are also captured on CCTV. One is believed to be the victim, who police suggest was picked up in NSW and driven to Queensland where his attempted murder took place. In relation to the kidnapping, vision shows an image of the boxcutter police allege was used to sever the man's ear, as well as CCTV of two vehicles travelling in convoy at the intersection of Freeman Ave and Sackville St in Canley Vale around the time of the incident. The vehicles are described as a dark-coloured Audi SQ2 and a white Volkswagen Golf. In relation to Mr Choup's murder, CCTV also captures Mr Choup and the man who slapped him walking towards a grey Audi SQ2. Police believe this may be the same vehicle used in the kidnapping in Canley Vale a week earlier. Detectives have also released CCTV of a white Lexus and white Audi RS3. The two males captured in the CCTV, seen allegedly moving the vehicles before and after Mr Choup's disappearance, are also of interest to police. Strike Force Hallet has been established to investigate the slew of incidents and anyone with information about the vehicles or the men in the CCTV are urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
