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Maureen Dettre

Sydney gangs under pressure as six charged over brawl

Six men were charged over a wild daytime brawl at Sydney's Westfield Tower. (PR HANDOUT IMAGE PHOTO)

Sydney's crime gangs are under relentless pressure as police use powerful legislation to crack down on notorious underworld networks.

Detective Superintendent Andrew Koutsoufis says criminal gang members are under constant scrutiny by his team of 150 officers in the Raptor Squad and their operations have been seriously hampered, forcing many to flee the state.

"We're talking about serious violent criminals that we target on a daily basis," he told reporters on Monday.

"It's almost impossible for them to continue their operations here in NSW.

"They'd be crazy to continue."

Public place shootings in Sydney's west which spiralled in the past few years had been dramatically reduced by "powerful legislation" which had prompted gang leaders to flee overseas.

"We have very strong legislation (and) a dedicated team addressing those criminal networks and their operations," he said.

"It's just relentless pressure to anyone involved in organised criminal networks."

It comes after six men were charged after an investigation into a wild daytime brawl in the Westfield Tower shopping centre in Sydney's CBD last week, reportedly between members or associates of the notorious Alameddine and Hamzy crime gangs.

About 12.30pm on Wednesday, police were called to the shopping centre on Market Street following reports a group of six unknown males had been involved in an alleged affray.

Police called in the Riot Squad and arrested two men, aged 19 and 21, on Kent Street and charged with affray.

They were granted strict conditional bail to appear before Downing Centre Local Court on July 12.

The State Crime Command’s Raptor Squad followed up on Friday conducting raids at four homes in North Parramatta, Auburn, Dundas Valley, and South Granville.

Three men – aged 33, 30, and 24 – were arrested at the North Parramatta address and taken to Granville Police Station, while a fourth man, aged 26, was arrested a short time later.

Police seized two firearms and $30,000 from the North Parramatta home, with an additional $13,000 seized from the Auburn address.

All four men were charged with affray, refused bail, and appeared before Parramatta Local Court the same day.

The men aged 30 and 24 were formally refused bail to re-appear before Downing Centre Local Court on June 28.

The 33-year-old and 26-year-old men were granted conditional bail to re-appear before Downing Centre Local Court on July 6.

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