Australian drill-rap group OneFour have broken their silence after police foiled an alleged plot to murder the group’s four members.
Spencer ‘Spenny’ Magalogo responded to the shock arrests of two alleged hitmen on Thursday with a photo of himself with two other members on Instagram.
The photo showed Magalogo with Jerome ‘J Emz’ Misa, Dahcell ‘Celly’ Ramos and another man, performing the song Many Men (Wish Death) by 50 Cent.
That song contains the famous lyrics: “Many men, wish death on me… I try to be what I’m meant to be, and try to take my life away.”
NSW Police have arrested the suspect coordinator of a criminal cell who was allegedly behind multiple contract kidnappings and plotted to attack the Sydney-based group.
Four members – Magalogo, Ramos, Misa and his younger brother Pio ‘YP’ Misa, were reportedly targeted in the failed assassination plot.
Accused criminal cell co-ordinator Brandon Masueli was arrested early on Thursday during a raid in Cartwright in Sydney’s south-west.
The 26-year-old is expected to be charged with a range of conspiracy, drugs and firearms offences.
Organized Crime Commander Peter Faux said investigators had determined the alleged crime cell had taken a contract to kill the four high-profile men.
Spencer ‘Spenny’ Magalogo responded to the shocking arrests of two alleged hitmen on Thursday with a photo of himself with two other members on Instagram
Brandon Masueli is arrested Thursday in Cartwright
Another man, Yousef Rima, 20, was arrested in Sydney’s south-west suburb of Sadleir
“We believe the contract was entered into on behalf of another organized crime network,” he said.
‘The 26-year-old arrested today was part of the plot, but he was not the mastermind, so to speak.
“There are a number of motives we are looking at, but it is highly likely that there is a conflict between the organized crime group that entered into this contract and the intended victims.”
The criminals allegedly conducted extensive surveillance on the members of the rap group as part of the plot, police said.
OneFour has long been the subject of police attention for their music, which focuses on gang subcultures in western Sydney and contains lyrics that often mention violence.
In 2019, they were forced to cancel a national tour after venues failed to meet security requirements demanded by police.
Another man, Yousef Rima, 20, was arrested in the south-west Sydney suburb of Sadleir as part of the latest police raids and is expected to be charged with the same offenses as the 26-year-old.
Chief Inspector Faux said the cell is believed to be linked to the Haouchar crime syndicate, which is largely controlled by gang leaders in Lebanon.
It is said to have been involved in $1.5 billion in cryptocurrency transactions while committing various firearms, drug, tobacco and money laundering crimes.
Police have foiled an alleged murder plot against four members of high-profile Sydney rap group OneFour (pictured)
Members of OneFour are pictured at the premiere of their Netflix documentary. (Spenny is seen on the left, Celly in the middle and J Emz is seen on the right)
Pictured: Australian rapper Pio ‘YP’ Misa (pictured) announced last month that he is leaving drill rap group OneFour due to his Christian beliefs
The splinter cell is also believed to be behind a kidnapping in March and a thwarted raid in December on an apartment in Ryde containing more than 700 kilos of cocaine.
Police responded to reports of a burglary at the property in Sydney’s northwest and arrested four men, who were allegedly found in the unit block’s underground parking garage, sitting in a car and wearing all-black clothing and face coverings.
Officers later searched the apartment and reportedly found cocaine worth an estimated $1 billion before arresting the resident, who police say tried to escape by jumping from the balcony.
The 26-year-old man arrested Thursday was charged in December with attempted kidnapping and possession of a firearm, but he was released on bail.
“We have evidence to suggest that this man was instrumental in organizing the four men to visit that location to kidnap the (resident),” Chief Inspector Joseph Doueihi said.
“We believe this man was part of this particular cell… and was responsible for these crimes and many other serious crimes, including conspiracies to commit murder, drug importation, aggravated burglaries and firearms offences.”
Two other properties in Riverstone and Ashcroft were raided by police during the current operation.
Police have charged 28 people with various crimes related to organized crime as part of the investigation. According to investigators, this has led to the Haouchar network being largely dismantled.
A 22-year-old man, believed to be abroad, is still wanted for arrest.
Last month, Pio YP Misa announced he was leaving the rap group after spending time in prison over a brawl that led him to recommit to his Christian beliefs.