A man has been charged over the fatal shooting of a Sydney underworld figure, marking the first murder charge to come from NSW Police’s mega taskforce investigating organised crime networks.<\/p>\n
Dawood Zakaria, 32, was shot multiple times inside a Toyota Hilux in May while stopped at traffic lights in Granville.<\/p>\n
Police allege that as the utility vehicle turned onto Woodville Road, the occupants of a nearby Mercedes approached the other car and fired several rounds, hitting the driver and front seat passenger.<\/p>\n
Lawyer Sylvan Singh was also shot, and two other men inside the vehicle were uninjured.<\/p>\n
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Dawood Zakaria, 32, died in May. (Supplied: Rolling Stone)<\/p>\n
On Wednesday, detectives under Taskforce Falcon executed a search warrant in Guildford and arrested a 19-year-old man. He was charged with murder and attempted murder, and other gang-related offences.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Detective Superintendent Jason Box said that while police do not allege the 19-year-old was solely responsible for the shooting, his actions, pre, during and post the shooting allegedly amounted to him being a “principal” player in the slaying.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Superintendent Box said it was a significant arrest for the taskforce, and investigations were still ongoing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“This was a brazen shooting at 5pm on a Sunday in the middle of Sydney … there could have been multiple innocent victims,” he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In response to this May shooting, NSW Police had announced it would set up Taskforce Falcon to address growing fears of underworld violence in Sydney.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Taskforce Falcon was set up following the fatal shooting of Dawood Zakaria. (ABC News: Sally-Anne Young)<\/p>\n
Not affiliated with G7, police say<\/p>\n
At least 16 shootings with potential links to organised crime have occurred since the commencement of Taskforce Falcon \u2014 including one on Sunday night, with another on Wednesday morning still being investigated.<\/p>\n
When asked if NSW Police were “losing the war” when it came to organised crime in Sydney, Superintendent Box defended the force’s efforts and said there had been several arrests in connection with recent violent attacks.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Thirteen members of an emerging criminal network in Sydney’s south-west, dubbed ‘G7’, were arrested and charged as part of the taskforce’s investigation in recent months.<\/p>\n