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Men arrested in Sydney police crackdown after gangland shooting of Mahmoud Ahmad

NSW Police pledges to crack down on outlaw criminals

A high-ranking bikie boss has been charged as police crack down on organised crime groups across Sydney, with two people arrested on the way to the funeral of crime figure Mahmoud "Brownie" Ahmad.

The blitz comes after 39-year-old Ahmad was gunned down in Narelle Crescent at Greenacre on Wednesday night.

State crime command director Detective Chief Superintendent Darren Bennett confirmed the arrests were made on Saturday as people headed to Ahmad's funeral.

"We've arrested over 250 people in Strike Force Hawk — [with] more arrests last night, [including] people arrested on the way to the funeral getting done for serious drug supply after a police pursuit," he said.

A 35-year-old man from Belmore and a 36-year-old man from Mount Lewis were arrested after allegedly being found with the proceeds of crime and a large quantity of drugs.

They were both charged with multiple offences.

Strike Force Hawk is now focused on catching Mahmoud "Brownie" Ahmad's killers. (Supplied: NSW Police)
Hundreds of mourners farewelled the Sydney crime figure at Rookwood Cemetery on Saturday. (ABC News)

Chief Superintendent Bennett said police want anyone with information about the shooting in Narelle Crescent to come forward. 

"Police are redoubling their efforts around this crime type. We want to prevent any retaliatory action and we want to prevent any further violence," he said.

"We're taking these types of targeted assassinations very, very seriously indeed."

Police said more than 800 charges have been brought against approximately 250 people since October last year. 

In that time, Chief Superintendent Bennett said, police had also seized almost 70 firearms and conducted more than 360 searches of gang members and their associates.

NSW Police trying to suppress retaliatory violence after crime death.
There have been at least seven gangland murders in Sydney over the past 18 months. (ABC News)

Chief Superintendent Bennett said the incidence of public place shootings was at its lowest-ever level, but State Crime Command was working to prevent high level drug trafficking, extortion, kidnapping and retaliatory shootings between crime groups.

As part of the operation, 41-year-old national sergeant-at-arms of the Comanchero bikies, Tarek Zahed, has been arrested and charged with two counts of contravening a serious crime prevention order.

He is due to appear at Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday, June 22.

In a separate arrest, a 50-year-old Bandidos member has been charged with firearms offences.

Along the way, cash, drugs and designer watches have been seized from multiple properties across Sydney.

Ahmad was released from prison six months ago after serving five years for the manslaughter of gangland rival Safwan Charbaji in 2016.

Known as a big player in Sydney crime, Ahmad had amassed a long list of enemies and walked out of jail with a $1 million bounty on his head.

After a tip-off saved him from an "imminent daylight hit" in October, he left Australia to spend time in his native Lebanon.

Despite the threat, Ahmad was soon back among his regular associates and, on Wednesday, became the second Ahmad brother to have been gunned down in the gangland battleground of south-west Sydney.

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