Australian Authorities Brace for Possible Gang Retaliation After Killing in Vietnam

(MENAFN) Australian law enforcement agencies have increased security measures amid concerns that the fatal shooting of a suspected Sydney organized crime figure in Vietnam could trigger further violence tied to an intensifying gang dispute connected to the city’s drug underworld.

According to reports, 24-year-old Lorenzo Lemalu, who Australian media identified as being linked to the Coconut Cartel, was shot and killed outside a restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City on Thursday evening.

Investigators are examining whether the attack is tied to a long-running criminal conflict in Sydney involving groups associated with the Alameddine crime network.

Reports stated that Lemalu had become a prominent member of the Coconut Cartel after separating himself from another gang believed to have connections to the Alameddine-linked network. Authorities say the feud between rival groups has contributed to numerous violent incidents across Sydney over the past several years.

Police in Australia are now closely watching for any retaliatory acts while continuing to cooperate with Vietnamese officials to uncover further details about the circumstances of the shooting.

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