Alleged Members of Criminal Group Charged with a Range of Serious Offences

Thirteen people are facing criminal charges as police taskforces target an alleged criminal group said to be responsible for a range of serious criminal offences across Sydney.

The investigation

The New South Wales Crime Command’s Financial Crimes Squad Motor Unit established Strike Force Duncan in January 2025, in order to investigate the suspected supply of illegally acquired motor vehicles to organised criminal groups.

Detectives from the strike force claim to have uncovered a network called ‘G7’, which they suspect of committing a spate of crimes across Sydney, including home invasions, break and enters and motor vehicles thefts. Police allege that the proceeds of the crimes have been used to assist broader organised crime operations.

Taskforce Falcon was then formed to further the investigations, which police say recovered 17 vehicles linked to illegal criminal activity. 

Strike Force Hamert and Strike Force Beech were also formed to facilitate the arrest of those suspected of being involved in the offences.

Searches, arrests and charges

Detectives were deployed to South Coast Correctional Centre at around 1pm on Monday, 28 July 2025, where they arrested an 18-year old man and charged him with seven criminal offences, including participating in a criminal group, driving a conveyance without the owner’s consent, unauthorised possession of a firearm and unauthorised supply of a firearm.

The man is scheduled to appear before Campbelltown Local Court on 27 August 2025.

At around 8.40am on Wednesday, 30 July 2025 strike force detectives bolstered by officers from the notorious Raptor Squad executed search warrants at addresses in Greystanes and Menai, where they claim to have seized items including over a kilo of cocaine, a single barrel shotgun, ammunition, 14 mobile phones and nearly $30,000 in cash.

At around 12.20pm on the same day, strike force officers stopped a vehicle in Narellan, arrested its 21-year old driver, transported him to Camden Police Station and charged him with participating in a criminal group, unauthorised possession of a shortened firearm (not a pistol) and driving whilst licence cancelled.

At around 12.30pm on the same day, officers stopped a vehicle in Bankstown, arrested a 21-year old man and charged him with seven offences including supplying a large commercial quantity of prohibited drug – which relates to the seized cocaine – dealing with the proceeds of crime – which relates to the seized money – participating in a criminal group and firearms offences relating to the seized firearm and ammunition.

The arrests follow those of nine other alleged members of the criminal group in recent months, which police claim are responsible for at least two shootings this year over a feud between rival organisations.

The offences charged

The law, penalties and defences relating to some of the charges brought are as follows.

The offence of participation in a criminal group in New South Wales 

Participation in a criminal group is an offence under section 93T of the Crimes Act 1900 which carries a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison.

To establish the offence, the prosecution must prove beyond reasonable doubt that:

1. You participated in a criminal group,
2. You knew or ought reasonably have known it was a criminal group, and
3. You knew or ought reasonably have known that your participation contributed to the occurrence of criminal activity.

The maximum penalty increases to 10 years in prison where:

1. You directed the activities of a criminal group,
2. You knew it was a criminal group, and
3. You knew or were reckless as to whether that participation contributed to the occurrence of criminal activity.

A 10 year maximum prison sentence is also applicable where:

1. You assaulted another person, or destroyed or damaged property of another, or intended to do so, and
2. You intended by that action to participate in a criminal group.

The penalty increases to a maximum of 14 years in prison where the person assaulted was a law enforcement officer in the execution of his or her duty.

The maximum penalty is 15 years in prison where the prosecution is able to prove that:

1. You directed the activities of a criminal group,
2. Those activities were organised and ongoing,
3. You knew it was a criminal group, and
4. You knew or were reckless as to whether that participation contributed to the occurrence of criminal activity.

What is a criminal group?

Section 93S of the Crimes Act defines a ‘criminal group’ as 3 or more people who have as their objective:

• Obtaining material benefits from conduct that constitutes a serious indictable offence, or
• Obtaining material benefits from conduct engaged in outside New South Wales (including outside Australia) that, if it occurred in New South Wales, would constitute a serious indictable offence, or
• Committing serious violence offences, or
• Engaging in conduct outside New South Wales (including outside Australia) that, if it occurred in New South Wales, would constitute a serious violence offence.

What is a serious indictable offence and a serious violence offence?

A ‘serious indictable offence’ is one that carries a maximum penalty of at least 5 years in prison, which includes the offence of supplying a prohibited drug.

A ‘serious violence offence’ is one punishable by at least 10 years which involves:

1. Loss of a person’s life or serious risk thereof,
2. Serious injury to a person or serious risk thereof,
3. Serious damage to property where a person’s safety is endangered, or
4. Perverting the course of relating to a case involving any of the above.

The offence of unauthorised possession of a firearm in New South Wales 

Unauthorised possession or use of a firearm is an offence under section 7A of the Act which carries a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison.

To establish the offence, the prosecution must prove beyond reasonable doubt that:

1. You possessed or used a firearm, and
2. You were not authorised to do so by a permit or licence.

What is possession?

Section 4 of the Act provides that you are in ‘possession’ if:

1. You have custody of the firearm, or
2. You have it in the custody of another person, or
3. It is in or on any premises, place, vehicle, vessel or aircraft, whether or not belonging to or occupied by you.

Section 4A makes clear that possession includes where the item is in or on any premises you own, lease or occupy, or in your care, control or management, unless you satisfy the court that:

1. It was placed in or on, or brought into or onto, the premises by or on behalf of a person who was authorised to do so, or
2. You did not know and could not reasonably be expected to have known that it was in or on the premises, or
3. The evidence otherwise establishes that you were not in possession of the

‘‘Premises’ means any place, vehicle, vessel or aircraft.

What is a firearm?

Section 4 defines a ‘firearm’ as:

A gun, or other weapon, that is or was capable of propelling a projectile by means of an explosive, and includes a blank fire firearm, or an air gun, but does not include a paintball marker.

Section 4D makes clear that it includes an ‘imitation firearm’ which is an object that, regardless of its colour, weight or composition, or the presence or absence of any moveable parts, substantially duplicates in appearance a firearm, but is not a firearm.

This does not include an object produced and identified as a children’s toy.

Unauthorised use or possession of a pistol or prohibited firearm

Unauthorised use or possession of a pistol or prohibited firearm is an offence under section 7 of the Act which carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison.

To establish the offence, the prosecution must prove beyond reasonable doubt that:

1. You possessed or used a pistol or prohibited firearm, and
2. You were not authorised to do so by a permit or licence.

A ‘pistol’ is defined as a firearm that:

1. is reasonably capable of being raised and fired by one hand, and
2. does not exceed the dimensions prescribed by the regulations.

Schedule 1 of the Act contains a long list of ‘prohibit firearms’ which include:

1. Machine guns, sub-machine guns and other automatic weapons capable of shooting bullets in rapid succession
2. Self-loading shotguns, rim-fire and centre fire rifles
3. Firearms capable of discharging liquid, powder, gas, chemicals, flares or dye
4. Canons and powerheads, and
5. Firearms disguised as other items, such as walking sticks.

The offence of supplying a prohibited drug in New South Wales 

Section 25(1) of the Drug Misuse and Trafficking Act 1985 (NSW) (‘the Act’) states, “A person who supplies, or who knowingly takes part in the supply of a prohibited drug is guilty of an offence.”

The charge of drug supply can be brought where there is evidence that you were involved in the process of supplying drugs to another person.

To prove the offence, the prosecution must prove beyond reasonable doubt that:

1. You supplied, or took part in the supply of, a substance, and
2. The substance was a prohibited drug, and
3. You knew, or believed at the time, that the substance was a prohibited drug.

Deemed supply

It should be noted that under section 29 of the Act,  a charge of drug supply can be brought where you are found in possession of at least the ‘traffickable’ quantity of a drug, even if there is no evidence you were actually supplying the drug. This is known as ‘deemed supply’.

If a charge of deemed supply is brought, it will be up to you to establish – on the balance of probabilities (ie more than 50%) – that the drugs were possessed for something other than supply – eg for personal use only or that you were merely holding them for the owner with the intention of returning them (this is known as the ‘Carey defence’, and also applies to actual supply).

What are the penalties for drug supply?

The maximum penalties for drug supply are as follows:

Maximum penalties

Offences relating to breaking and entering in New South Wales

Offences relating to breaking and entering into homes and other premises in our state are primarily contained in sections 112 and 113 of the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), each of which contain three discrete crimes.

The offence of breaking, entering and committing a serious indictable offence

Section 112 of the Act is titled ‘Breaking etc into any house etc and committing serious indictable offence.

Subsection 112(1) is the least serious category of the offence and carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison.

To establish the offence, the prosecution must prove beyond reasonable doubt that:

1. You broke into and entered a premises,
2. You committed a serious indictable offence while there, and
3. The premises was a dwelling house or other building.

What is a ‘break’?

The Crimes Act does not define ‘broke’ or ‘break’.

However, the courts have found it means to ‘forcibly gain entry’, and can include:

1. Unlocking a door or window,
2. Pushing open a closed but unlocked door,
3. Opening a closed but unlocked window, and
4. Raising a latch or loosening a fastening to secure entry.

The courts have found that it may not include:

1. Walking through an open door, or
2. Further opening a window that is already significantly ajar.

What is a ‘dwelling house’?

A ‘dwelling house’ is defined as:

1. Any structure intended for occupation as a dwelling and capable of being so occupied, even if it has never been occupied
2. A vehicle or boat in or on which a person resides, and
3. Any structure that is ancillary to the dwelling.

What is a ‘serious indictable offence’?

A ‘serious indictable offence’ is one that carries a maximum penalty of at least 5 years in prison.

This encompasses most offences in the Crimes Act 1900, including stealing (also known as larceny) and assaults which case actual bodily harm, wounding or grievous bodily harm, and intentionally or recklessly damaging or destroying property.

Aggravated offence – section 112(2)

The maximum penalty increases to 20 years in prison where the offence is committed in circumstances of aggravation, which is where you:

1. Were armed with an offensive weapon or instrument,
2. Were with at least one other person,
3. Used corporal violence,
4. Intentionally or recklessly inflicted actual bodily harm,
5. Deprived a person of their liberty, or
6. Knew there was at least one person in the dwelling.

‘Offensive weapon or instrument’ means:

1. A dangerous weapon, or
2. Anything made or adapted for offensive purposes, whether or not it is ordinarily used as a weapon or capable of causing harm.

Specially aggravated offence – section 112(3)

The maximum increases to 25 years where you:

1. Intentionally wounded or inflicted grievous bodily harm,
2. Inflicted grievous bodily harm and were reckless as to causing actual bodily harm, or
3. Were armed with a dangerous weapon.

A ‘dangerous weapon’ is defined as:

1. A firearm or imitation firearm,
2. A prohibited weapon, or
3. A spear gun.

The offence of breaking and entering with intent to commit a serious indictable offence

Section 113 of the Crimes Act is titled ‘Breaking etc into any house etc with intent to commit serious indictable offence’.

Subsection 113(1) is the least serious category of the offence and carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

To establish the offence, the prosecution must prove beyond reasonable doubt that:

1. You broke into and entered a premises,
2. You intended by doing so to commit a serious indictable offence while there, and
3. The premises was a dwelling house or other building.

The definitions of ‘break’, ‘dwelling house’ and ‘serious indictable offence’ are the same as those which apply to section 112 of the Act.

Aggravated offence – section 113(2)

The maximum penalty increases to 14 years in prison where the offence is committed in circumstances of aggravation.

Those circumstances as well as the definition of ‘offensive weapon or instrument’ are the same as for section 112(2).

Specially aggravated offence – section 113(3)

The maximum increases to 20 years where you:

1. Intentionally wounded or inflicted grievous bodily harm,
2. Inflicted grievous bodily harm and were reckless as to causing actual bodily harm, or
3. Were armed with a dangerous weapon.

A ‘dangerous weapon’ has the same meaning as that which applies to section 112(3).

Legal defences

It is important to be aware that in addition to having to prove every element (ingredient) of a criminal offence beyond a reasonable doubt, the prosecution must also disprove to the same high standard any legal defence that may arise from the evidence in the case.

You are entitled to an acquittal (a finding of not guilty) if the prosecution is unable to do this.

Legal defences to criminal charges include:

• Duress, which is where you acted due to threats of death or really serious harm to you or your family member, and the threats were of such a nature that a person of ordinary firmness and strength of will, of your maturity and sex and in your position, would have given in to them and committed the crime demanded of you,
• Necessity, which is where you honestly believed on reasonable grounds you or a person you were bound to protect were placed in a situation of imminent peril, your conduct was intended to avoid that peril, and your conduct was proportionate to the avoidance of that consequence.
• Mental illness, which is where due to at the time of carrying out the act constituting the offence, you had a mental health impairment or a cognitive impairment, or both, that had the effect that you did not know the nature and quality of the act, or did not know that the act was wrong, and
• Self-defence, which is where you believed your conduct was necessary to defend yourself or another person, or to prevent the unlawful deprivation of your liberty or another person’s, or to protect your property from being taken, destroyed, damaged or interfered with, or to prevent criminal trespass to your land, or remove a person criminally trespassing, and your conduct was a reasonable response in the circumstances as you perceived them.

Going to court? 

If you have been accused of a serious criminal offence and require assistance from an experienced team of criminal defence lawyers with an outstanding track record of successfully defending criminal charges, contact Sydney Criminal Lawyers for accurate advice about your options and the best way forward, and formidable legal representation from our multi-award award-winning defence team.