Sydney gang violence escalates as offshore kingpins outsource murders to locals
Three shootings in ten days prompt NSW Police to warn that overseas crime bosses are orchestrating Sydney violence through local offenders.
Three deadly shootings in ten days have prompted NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon to warn that Sydney's gang war is becoming more dangerous. Overseas crime figures are outsourcing violence to local offenders.
Police call this crime as a service. Many people orchestrating these attacks are not even in Australia.
Local and increasingly young recruits carry out the violent acts. Social media is a major factor, Lanyon said.
Young people are becoming desensitised to violence through constant online exposure. A generation is growing up watching brutal acts and becoming involved in serious crime for small sums of money.
Catching the person who pulls the trigger is only part of the challenge. Police must trace the digital trail back to whoever recruited them, paid them and gave the order.
Task Force Falcon has made over 700 arrests for public place shootings, stolen vehicles and attempted murder since it began.
Why it mattersThe shift to remote-controlled overseas crime networks makes gang violence harder for police to stop, putting Sydney residents at ongoing risk.
AustraliaSydney residents face escalating random violence, and schools are grappling with students drawn into gang recruitment via social media.
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