Ongoing gang crime in Sydney, including an alleged gruesome kidnapping during which a man’s teeth were knocked out, has been compared to the streets of crime-ridden Brazil.
Peter Vuong, 26, was allegedly ambushed at a house in Smithfield, western Sydney, at around 5:20am last Thursday by a group of six men wearing face masks and armed with sledgehammers and firearms. .
The men are accused of seeking revenge for a failed drug deal involving one of Vuong’s relatives.
Police will allege that Vuong was held for six days in a dilapidated house on Canterbury Road in Belmore, south-west Sydney, and suffered intense “physical violence”, allegedly attacked with a sledgehammer and knocked out his teeth.
Mr Vuong was rescued by dozens of heavily armed tactical police officers on Tuesday in Belmore, southwest Sydney.
Police will allege that Mr. Vuong (left) suffered intense “physical violence”, allegedly being attacked with a sledgehammer and having his teeth knocked out.
He was rescued Tuesday night by dozens of heavily armed tactical police officers.
Criminologist Xanthe Mallet said she had “never seen anything like it before” the alleged kidnapping in Australia.
“This is the kind of thing you would expect in South America, Brazil for example,” he told the Today Show on Thursday.
“For someone to be kidnapped, held for such a long time and assaulted with a lot of violence is quite extraordinary.”
Brazil has one of the highest crime rates in the world, with epidemic levels of violent crime and homicide.
Organized crime in South America’s largest country has expanded in recent years and violence between rival groups is commonplace.
Criminologist Xanthe Mallet compared the alleged violent kidnapping of Peter Vuong to a gang-related crime experienced in Brazil (Brazilian police file image pictured)
Ms Mallet said she believed the types of crime associated with gang-related crime in Australia had changed in recent years.
“We are seeing people being shot in the street, complete disregard for the public, for families,” he said.
“I think the police are concerned about different types of violence because it seems like the rule book has been blown with some of these organized gangs.”
Ms Mallet said the alleged kidnapping of Mr Vuong was “very scary”.
“I’m sure everyone in Sydney and especially in that neighborhood is going to be shocked by this,” she said.
A series of high-profile gang-related crimes have dominated the news in the past 12 months, including the brutal execution-style shooting of celebrity driver Taha Sabbagh less than two weeks ago.
Crime expert Xanthe Mallet (pictured) said the types of crime associated with gang-related crime in Australia had changed in recent years.
Ms Mallet said police would keep investigations relating to Mr Vuong “undercover” so that criminals would not learn of his methods, but expected more details to emerge “in the coming days”.
Daily Mail Australia revealed on Monday that security cameras were installed at the Smithfield home from which Mr Vuong was abducted last Wednesday, the day before the early morning abduction.
Neighbors said floodlights had also been installed in recent weeks around the perimeter of the house.
Court documents obtained by Daily Mail Australia reveal that the occupant of the Smithfield home, Timothy Bowyer, was injured during the alleged kidnapping at his parents’ home.
Police will also allege that the group demanded another man, who trades cryptocurrency and works as a real estate investor, hand over the sum of $5 million. It is believed that he is related to the Bowyer family.
The men allegedly sent the anonymous cryptocurrency trader a series of text messages on an encrypted device threatening to kill Mr. Vuong if their demands were not met.
It was alleged that Mr. Vuong’s kidnappers were seeking revenge for a drug deal gone wrong (Mr. Vuong pictured)
Six men have been charged in connection with the incident, and police allege the group kidnapped and then physically abused Mr. Vuong, who was held against his will for ransom.
Police are investigating whether Mr. Vuong, who has no criminal record except for minor historical traffic offences, was the intended target of the alleged attack.
The accused kidnappers were allegedly seeking revenge for a drug deal involving one of their relatives gone bad.
Daily Mail Australia is not suggesting that Mr Vuong, the Bowyers or their crypto-trading relative are involved in any crime or the alleged failed drug deal.
Mr. Vuong was located inside a decrepit property in the nearby Belmore house after a police operation that lasted several days.
He was evaluated by paramedics at the scene before being transported to the hospital in stable condition.
Six men have been charged in connection with the incident, and police allege the group kidnapped and then physically abused Mr. Vuong, who was held against his will for ransom.
Viliami Siasau, 19, Valali Tonga, 20, Sunia Siasau, 20, and John Totau Fahamokioa, 20, faced Bankstown Local Court on Wednesday, while Lolo Liavaa, 19, and Kitueau Tatafu, 21, appeared before Parramatta Local Court .
Fahamokioa was granted bail under strict conditions and Siasau, Tonga, Saisau, Kitueau and Tatafu were denied bail.
All men must appear in the next face court on May 10.
