Sydney This article is more than 4 months old

Two men arrested over fatal shooting of Sydney cocaine kingpin Alen Moradian

This article is more than 4 months old

Moradian was shot dead in an underground car park in Bondi Junction in June

The accused “mastermind” behind the execution of a major Sydney crime figure has been charged, along with an alleged accomplice.

Alen Moradian, 48, was shot dead in June while sitting in his car near the Bondi Junction shopping precinct.

He was a notorious Sydney underworld drug lord with links to the Comanchero bikie gang.

Shortly after the shooting police found a burnt-out Porsche nearby and later a burnt-out Holden Commodore in Zetland.

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Detectives arrested a 42-year-old man in Sydney’s south early on Wednesday.

He was taken to Sutherland police station and charged with murder and other offences relating to the day-time shooting.

Police will allege he was the mastermind behind the killing of Moradian – his former friend – which they believe was motivated by an outstanding debt.

Det Chief Supt Jason Weinstein confirmed half a million dollars was owed to an organised crime entity and the friendship soured.

“Those two individuals themselves were not owed the money but other entities within organised crime were,” he told reporters.

“But this is what happens when you involve yourself in the underworld, in drug distribution, in supply of drugs, you at some point in time will come into conflict.”

During a separate early morning raid in the southwest suburb of Moorebank, detectives arrested a 31-year-old, who was taken to Liverpool police station.

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He was also charged with murder, refused bail and will appear in Liverpool local court.

Police will allege the older man instigated the fatal shooting while the younger man helped coordinate it.

Weinstein said police did not believe the two men were the gunmen and investigations were underway as to who pulled the trigger.

“The allegations are that the 42-year-old-male and the 31-year-old male themselves did not carry out the act, they gave the imprimatur, they gave the go ahead or the instructions for it to occur,” he said.

This article was published on 20 September 2023, replacing an earlier version

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