Coconut Cartel decapitated as police swoop on alleged Sydney boss
Police have dismantled the Australian operation of the so-called Coconut Cartel, a gang embroiled in a months-long feud with the Alameddine crime family over control of Sydney’s illicit drug market, after seizing nearly 400 kilograms of methamphetamine and arresting its alleged leader on the ground.
Detectives on Wednesday carried out the final phase of Strike Force Golporta, one of NSW Police’s largest organized crime-related operations, covering many active investigations and involving hundreds of detectives from organized crime, murder, financial crime, drugs and firearms, and robbery and serious crime teams.
The strike force, set up to target Henry Kupa, the alleged onshore leader of the Coconut Cartel, resulted in the arrest of several alleged cartel associates who police say helped the group import large quantities of illegal drugs into Australia.
Detectives allege Kupa, 27, facilitated several large-scale drug importations under the self-proclaimed Coconut Cartel under the direction of fugitive gang leader Anthony Pele. Pele remains wanted by police on multiple arrest warrants and is believed to be directing the cartel’s operations and conflict with the Alameddine family from abroad.
Lorenzo Lemalu, a senior member of the cartel, was shot dead outside a restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City last week. Vietnamese police investigating the assassination arrested two Samoan men, Joseph Vaa and Steve Tofa, who told authorities they were hired by an overseas operator to ambush Lemalu and his partner, Sam Sauni, who survived the attack.
The Coconut Cartel, made up of former members and allies of the Alameddine network, declared war on the notorious Merrylands family in January.
Police said a months-long investigation by the organized crime team helped them infiltrate the Coconut Cartel and prevent several planned acts of violence, including kidnappings and shootings.
“We were able to arrest not only the onshore managers and onshore coordinators, but also many of the contract offenders and enablers who supported this organized crime network in NSW,” Assistant Commissioner Scott Cook said.
“Our ability to infiltrate this network and sequence of events was crucial to us and helped us quell the violence.”
Detectives arrested Kupa in April after seizing 390 kilograms of methamphetamine hidden in buckets at an Emu Plains property and believed to have been imported by the Coconut Cartel. Kupa was charged with commercially supplying a large quantity of prohibited drugs, enabling a minor to commercially supply a large quantity of prohibited drugs and participating in a criminal group. A 15-year-old boy who allegedly worked for the cartel and was arrested at the Emu Plains estate has been charged with supplying a large commercial quantity of prohibited drugs.
Cartel partners arrested on Wednesday and Thursday and said to have been working under Kupa’s instructions have been charged with serious drug supply offences.
Detectives working with Strike Force Golporta have also identified several overseas-based Australian organized crime figures involved in ongoing conflicts and large-scale drug importation.
“Organized crime in NSW is now truly global,” Cook said, adding that NSW Police was working with the Australian Federal Police and international law enforcement to capture and extradite high-value targets overseas.
“These people who are hiding in other countries and complicit in the violence in NSW, we know who you are, we know where you are and we are working with our Australian and international law enforcement partners to catch you.”
Detectives hope the intelligence gathered through Strike Force Golporta will keep them on a level playing field in the changing organized crime landscape.
“We’ve been trying to catch up for a long time. This is the first time we think we’re equal,” Cook said.
Many people have previously been charged as part of active investigations by the intelligence agency that forms the backbone of the Golporta Strike Force.
Police are preparing for retaliation that will result from the dismantling of the Coconut Cartel and the emergence of individuals seeking to replace key players currently in custody.
“We’re a little bit ahead of the game, and we’re hopeful that with the information we get from this investigation, we can prevent the violence that’s occurring here,” Cook said.
“We believe this operation has provided us with sufficient intelligence and understanding of the environment to continue to quell the violence as much as possible.”
Start your day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.
