Police are bracing for potential violence in Sydney's underworld following the murder of a notorious gang kingpin in Vietnam. Lorenzo Lamalu, 24, was gunned down at a restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City on Thursday night, sending shockwaves through the city's criminal networks.
Lamalu is believed to be the mastermind behind the so-called 'Coconut Cartel', a criminal organisation that has been locked in a bitter feud with rivals. CCTV footage appears to show Lamalu standing with a group outside a restaurant when a gunman approaches, walks past, then suddenly turns and opens fire at him and another man.
The gunman is then seen chasing Lamalu into the restaurant, where further shots were presumably fired. Additional footage shows the aftermath of the shooting, as paramedics attempted to save Lamalu inside the venue. Lamalu's associate, whom local media reported to be Sam Sauni, 27, was critically injured.
Vietnamese police have released images of two Australian men believed to be linked to the shooting. One has been identified as Lang Kenny Trong Minh Do, 36, while the second is named as Justin John White, 38 — though it is unclear if that is his real name. Police allege the pair fled Ho Chi Minh City by taxi, travelling to a town near the Cambodian border.
The Coconut Cartel declared war on the rival Alameddine gang earlier this year, raising concerns that Lamalu's death could trigger a wave of retaliatory attacks. Just hours after the shooting, Alameddine-linked rapper Ay Huncho released a track featuring the lyrics: 'Got brothers turn snake we'll turn em into a coffin, used to love them, now your name is on a bullet, for when we pop em.'
Australian Federal Police are working with Vietnamese authorities as investigations continue, while NSW Police are bracing for potential repercussions locally.
