Two men charged with conspiracy to murder after Sydney gang figure slain in Vietnam
Australian and Samoan authorities have charged two men with conspiracy to murder Lorenzo Lemalu, a 24-year-old Sydney underworld figure killed in Ho Chi Minh City.
On May 21, 24-year-old Lorenzo Lemalu, identified as a senior member of Sydney’s Coconut Cartel, was fatally shot in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, in what investigators describe as a pre-meditated assassination. Vietnamese police initially charged two Samoan men, Vaa Vaa and Steve Tafia, alleging they tracked Lemalu for a week before the killing. On September 10, the Australian Federal Police disclosed that a 31-year-old New Zealand citizen and a 33-year-old Samoan citizen have been charged with conspiracy to murder, linking them to the earlier suspects.
The charges resulted from joint efforts by Samoa Police, Vietnamese authorities and one outlet, and the accused were released on bail the following day. One outlet Acting Commander Pacific Greg Davis emphasized the need for regional cooperation to combat transnational organised crime.
Why it matters
The case shows how organised crime networks operate across borders, prompting international law-enforcement collaboration.
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