n drill rap group OneFour have broken their silence after police foiled an alleged plot to kill the four members of the group.
Spencer ‘Spenny’ Magalogo responded to the shock Thursday arrests of two alleged would-be assassins 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, with the song Many Men (Wish Death) by 50 Cent.
That song features the famous lyrics: “Many men, wish death upon me… I’m tryin’ to be what I’m destined to be, and n***as tryin’ to take my life away.”
NSW Police arrested the accused co-ordinator of a criminal cell allegedly behind multiple contract kidnappings and a plan to target the Sydney-based group.
Four members – Magalogo, Ramos, Misa, and his younger brother Pio ‘YP’ Misa, were allegedly the targets of the defeated murder plot.
The accused criminal cell co-ordinator, Brandon Masueli, was arrested in a raid at Cartwright in Sydney’s southwest early on Thursday.
The 26-year-old is expected to be charged with a range of conspiracy, drug and firearm offences.
Organised Crime Squad commander Peter Faux said investigators identified that the alleged crime cell had allegedly taken on a contract to murder the four high-profile men.
Spencer ‘Spenny’ Magalogo responded to the shock Thursday arrests of two alleged would-be assassins with a photo of himself with two other members on Instagram
Brandon Masueli being arrested in Cartwright on Thursday
Another man, Yousef Rima, 20, was arrested in the southwest Sydney suburb of Sadleir
‘We believe that contract was taken on … on behalf of another organised crime network,’ he said.
‘The 26-year-old arrested today was a part of the plot, however (he) wasn’t the mastermind, so to speak.
‘There are a number of motives we’re looking at, but it’s highly likely there’s a conflict between the organised crime group that took out this contract and the intended victims.’
The criminals had allegedly carried out extensive surveillance of the rap group members as part of the plot, police said.
OneFour has been the subject of long-standing police attention for their music, which focuses on western Sydney gang subcultures and includes lyrics that frequently mention violence.
In 2019, they were forced to cancel a national tour after venues were unable to meet security requirements demanded by police.
Another man, Yousef Rima, 20, was arrested in the southwest Sydney suburb of Sadleir as part of the latest police raids and he is expected to be charged with the same offences as the 26-year-old.
Detective Superintendent Faux said the cell was believed to be linked to the Haouchar crime syndicate, which has largely been operated from gang leaders based in Lebanon.
It has allegedly been tied to $1.5billion in cryptocurrency transactions while committing various firearm, drug, tobacco and money-laundering offences.
Police have foiled an alleged assassination plot against four members of high-profile Sydney rap group, OneFour (pictured)
Members of OneFour are pictured at the premier of their Netflix documentary. (Spenny is seen left, Celly centre and J Emz is seen right)
Pictured: n rapper Pio ‘YP’ Misa (pictured) announced last month he is leaving the drill rap group OneFour due to his Christian beliefs
The splinter cell is also allegedly behind a kidnapping in March and a foiled alleged December raid on a Ryde apartment that was housing more than 700kg in cocaine.
Police responded to reports of a break-in at the northwest Sydney property and arrested four men, who were allegedly found in the unit block’s underground car park sitting in a car and wearing all-black clothing and face coverings.
Officers later searched the apartment and allegedly found cocaine worth an estimated $1 billion before arresting the resident, who police said tried to escape by jumping off the balcony.
The 26-year-old man arrested on Thursday was charged in December with attempted kidnapping and firearm possession, but he was released on bail.
‘We have evidence that indicates that this male played a significant role in organising the four males to attend that location in order to kidnap the (resident),’ Detective Superintendent Joseph Doueihi said.
‘We believe this male formed part of this particular cell … and was responsible for these crimes and many other serious crimes including conspiracies to murder, drug importation, aggravated break and enters, firearm offences.’
Two other properties in Riverstone and Ashcroft were raided by police in the current operation.
Police have charged 28 people with various offences related to organised crime as part of the probe, which detectives say has resulted in the Haouchar network being largely dismantled.
A 22-year-old man, believed to be overseas, is still wanted for arrest.
Last month, Pio YP Misa announced he would be leaving the rap group after spending time in jail over a brawl led him to re-engage with his Christian beliefs.