On August 13, 2022, a targeted hit in Revesby killed 48-year-old Lametta Fadlallah and 39-year-old hairdresser Amy Hazouri. This shook up Sydney’s underworld. Around 8:50 p.m., gunmen came up to a Toyota 4WD parked outside Fadlallah’s house and started shooting. A neighbor’s 38-second video showed four taps on the window, then at least 18 shots in six seconds, and finally two cars speeding away. The 20-year-old driver and 16-year-old passenger lived, but they were both very upset.
The Intended Target and an Uninvolved Person
The police in New South Wales think that Fadlallah, who has been linked to high-level criminals for a long time, was the intended target. Hazouri, a well-known and well-liked hairdresser in Bankstown with no criminal ties, was there to do hair for an engagement party after getting a flat tire earlier in the night. Police called her death “collateral damage,” which shows how random some Sydney hits are now.
Connections to the Underworld for Lametta Fadlallah
Fadlallah was friendly with her neighbours and often had parties. Police said she was one of the few women working in Sydney’s criminal underworld. She had strong ties to Shadi Derbas, who was connected to the Karam drug crew in the 1990s, and later to the well-known standover man Helal Safi, who died in 2021. The police said she owed money, and there were rumours that she might have talked to the NSW Crime Commission. In the underworld, those kinds of whispers can mean death.
“A Ray of Sunshine,” says Amy Hazouri.
Hazouri’s death hit a family that was already going through a lot because of Lebanon’s economic crisis. Her family said she was kind and hardworking, and she was the main breadwinner for her family, often taking on extra jobs and house calls. There was a memorial at her salon that said, “You left us too soon; may your memory live on.” At first, a fundraiser brought in more than $10,000 to help with the costs of sending her back home and paying for her funeral. Her mother couldn’t go because she was too sick.
“All the Rules Are Out”
Police called the murder “unprecedented” because it was a public execution that broke the long-standing rule in the underworld against targeting women and families. Detective Superintendent Danny Doherty said that the old codes don’t work anymore: “They don’t discriminate anymore.” Veteran crime reporters also said they had never seen a woman killed in that way on a Sydney street.
A $500,000 contract that was carefully planned
Sources in the underworld and the police said that the murder contract was worth as much as $500,000. It looked like the operation was planned: the shooters wore dark clothes, tapped on the glass to make sure the victims saw the gun, fired quickly, and got away quickly. In Moorebank, Revesby, and Yagoona, three burned-out cars were found within hours. This is a classic way to get rid of evidence. Reports say that the gunman pushed the head of the surviving teen aside just before the shots started. This was a cold-blooded act.
Laurantus Strike Force
The Homicide Squad created Strike Force Laurantus, which was supported by Strike Force Raptor and specialised gang units, to find the people behind the hit and stop any retaliation. Detectives searched Hendy Avenue, took forensic evidence (like fingerprints from nearby cars), and asked for dashcam and CCTV footage. As tensions between gangs rose, officials warned of possible “payback.”
Community Shock—and Funerals with Guards
At first, neighbours thought the shots were fireworks, but others ran outside to the sound of screaming and squealing tyres. A few days later, Fadlallah’s funeral at St. Charbel’s Church in Punchbowl was heavily policed. There were officers on foot at the doors and PolAir flying overhead. Her younger son Ghazi carried the white flower-covered coffin, while her older son Abraham stayed outside because of the Christian service. Balloons in white and gold were let go into the sky.
People were very sad at Hazouri’s funeral the week before. Her dad said she was “an angel” and wished he had died instead of her. Family and friends remembered her as the person everyone looked to for support.
A Trendline of Violence
The Revesby ambush was the fifth suspected gangland hit in Sydney in 2022 and part of a bigger rise since 2020. Sydney’s modern gang wars have become more reckless, with kids getting hurt while unloading groceries and innocent people being killed in historic flare-ups. This is because of drug debts, rivalries, and a willingness to cross lines that were once thought to be unbreakable.
What Comes Next
Force of Strike Laurantus is still putting together the pieces of the conspiracy, including surveillance, phones, cars, money flows, and any part Fadlallah’s love life may have played. Detectives say that the help of the public is still very important. The case is a grim reminder that Sydney’s underworld “rules,” if they ever existed, are no longer in effect.
Last Thought
Two families, two stories: one woman who was supposedly involved in crime and another who just went to work. Their deaths show how bad things are: gang violence is spreading to suburban streets, where innocent people can get caught in the crossfire. The job for police and lawmakers is clear: break up the networks, stop the violence, and make Sydney’s communities feel safe again.
Originally Published On AUBURNTIMES
