Police say they have dismantled "one of Sydney's most dangerous crime families" after a covert investigation lasting 10 months.
Heavily armed police this morning raided 29 locations across south-west Sydney as the net closed on the Alameddine organised crime network, and its alleged large-scale drug supply operation.
Officers arrested 18 alleged low- or mid-ranking members of the Alameddines and seized 36 drug-dealing mobile phones gangsters have allegedly been killing each other to control.
NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb said a war over the city's drug market had driven the spate of shooting murders targeting notorious underworld figures over the past 18 months.
There has been at least 13 assassinations attributed to the underworld war gripping the city since October 2020, including three in the last four weeks.
"Today we've smashed an organised criminal network," Commissioner Webb said.
"I'm confident that we've cut the head off the snake."
Strike Force Sugarcane was established in early 2021 to investigate the Alameddine's alleged drug network and, with the help of Task Force Erebus, 450 police officers were today mobilised to move in on those identified.
Drugs including cocaine, MDMA, cannabis and prescription medication were seized in raids across nine suburbs, as was cash, jewellery and weapons.
Police say 18 men — aged between 19 and 39 — were arrested at properties in suburbs including Guildford, Merrylands, Chester Hill, South Granville, Casula, Yagoona and Wentworthville.
It is alleged these people made up a sophisticated "dial-a-dealer" drug network operating across Sydney.
Commissioner Webb says police believe the Comanchero outlaw motorcycle group has supplied the Alameddine clan with drugs to sell on the street.
Some of the people arrested are also suspected of involvement in a "number of murders", Assistant Commissioner Michael Fitzgerald said.
It was revealed a group of lucrative encrypted mobile phones are believed to be the at the centre of the gangland shootings.
Assistant Commissioner Fitzgerald said each phone could generate hundreds of thousands of dollars in drug sales, with one of the seized devices having 700 contacts and making $250,000 each week alone.
"What I can say is, these phones have been in the possession of the Alameddine organised crime network for a number of years," he said.
"Other criminal groups have attempted to take those phones ... and as a result, we believe, and we will allege at a later time, that there has been a number of murders in regards to these phones."
Police have not yet revealed which murders have been linked to the mobile phones seized this morning.
Charges expected to be laid include directing and participating in a criminal group, possession of firearms and commercial drug supply.
Assistant Commissioner Fitzgerald said no murder charges were expected yet but information gleaned by the secretive Strike Force Surgarcane would be passed on to the homicide squad.
He said some "senior members" of the Alameddines were already in custody awaiting trial, and Tuesday's raids focused on smashing the street level operations.
"We believe we've had a sign impact on the Alameddine organised crime network," Assistant Commissioner Fitzgerald said.
"The drug distribution of that network has been dismantled today."
He said he was not concerned the Hamzy family — the Alameddine's rivals — would fill the void as many of the key players in that crew are either now dead or in prison.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Police Paul Toole said there was no place for organised criminal networks in NSW.
"Today we are closing the net on one of Sydney's most dangerous criminal networks," he said.
"This is suburban terrorism and their activities, which jeopardises the safety of the community simply won't be tolerated."
