Murder plot foiled: four Aussie rappers dodge contract killer

The four alleged targets, who live in Sydney's north-west, were the would-be victims of a "criminal cell" employed to kill the men on behalf of an organised crime syndicate, police said.

The men, Pio 'YP' Misa, Dahcell 'Celly14' Ramos, Spencer 'Spenny' Magalogo and Jerome 'J Emz' Misa, were members of a popular drill rap group called OneFour.

Multiple police operations including Strike Force Tromperie, which investigates organised crime from Lebanon, collaborated to stop the alleged murder plot.

Strike Force Tromperie detectives said a 26-year-old man was coordinating the "off-shoot criminal cell" working in Australia.

The group allegedly accepted contract work to carry out serious crimes, including murder and kidnappings, from their own organisation and from rival gangs.

Their alleged plans to kill the four members of OneFour was "on behalf of another network", police said.

The group was also allegedly linked to a March 2023 kidnapping and another kidnapping believed to be prompted by the police seizure of 722 kilograms of cocaine in Ryde.

Detectives and border force officers arrested the 26-year-old just after 6am on January 11 at a house in Cartwright, Sydney while a 20-year-old was arrested nearby in Sadlier.

Both men are expected to be charged with conspiracy to murder, conspiracy to kidnap, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, firearm offences and large commercial quantity of prohibited drug supply.

Police said homes in Riverstone and Ashcroft were also searched and an offshore arrest warrant was requested for a 22-year-old man.

.Anyone with information that may assist investigators is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence.