NSW Police say Sydney is entering a new era of "disorganised crime" where violence brokers post contracts on open marketplaces [1].
This shift represents a critical change in how gang violence operates. By moving away from traditional, tightly controlled hierarchies, criminal networks are making it harder for law enforcement to track perpetrators and intervene before attacks occur [1, 2].
According to police, these brokers now list contracts for violence that can be bid on by offshore entities [1, 2]. This open-market model replaces the old system of loyalty-based contracts with a transactional approach. Police said this evolution will increase street terror as the barriers to entry for committing violent crimes are lowered [1, 2].
Recent events illustrate the volatility of this environment. On May 21, 2026, Lorenzo Lemalu was killed in a shooting at a funeral venue in Punchbowl [3]. In relation to that specific incident, police have charged two people [3].
Investigators have traced elements of these criminal activities to locations beyond Australia, including Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam [1, 3]. The ability to outsource violence to foreign actors creates a jurisdictional gap that complicates traditional policing methods.
One of the state's top police officers said the goal is to disrupt these networks "by the time we finish" [1].
“Violence brokers post contracts on open marketplaces for offshore entities.”
The transition from structured organized crime to a 'disorganised' marketplace model suggests a professionalization of violence outsourcing. By decoupling the order from the execution through digital or open-market brokers, criminal entities can maintain plausible deniability and shield leadership from prosecution, forcing police to shift from infiltrating gangs to monitoring digital marketplaces and international financial flows.
