ONE of Sydney's most notorious and violent street gangs - the Muslim Brotherhood Movement - has been "ripped apart"

ONE of Sydney's most notorious and violent street gangs - the Muslim Brotherhood Movement - has been "ripped apart" after a series of undercover police raids.

Head of the Middle Eastern Organised Crime Squad, Detective Superintendent Deb Wallace said the once "powerful" MBM has been "dismantled and disrupted".

"When you take out people who see themselves as significant players and those who can direct activity, it's like cutting the head of a snake," Supt Wallace said.

"We put a lot of work into what they were up to."

MBM members have been linked to serious and organised crimes including drug dealing, extortion, kidnappings and even attempted murder.

Such was their disregard for authority that during one search warrant on their Union Rd, Auburn premises last year, a police officer was stabbed in the head with a key.




The operation saw dozens of officers swarm MBM turf around Union Rd in Sydney's west, once considered a "no-go" zone for police because of serious, repeated attacks on officers.

Those at the top of the MBM hierarchy were finally locked up during the operation.

A huge blow to the gang also came with the arrest of two MBM leaders in separate operations. One is currently before court over a double stabbing at a McDonald's while the other is facing firearm and kidnapping charges.

Supt Wallace said there was a period 18 months ago when police saw the MBM escalating in notoriety, and feared they were on the verge of becoming a more serious criminal entity.

At its height, the gang's core membership consisted of 40 people and up to several hundred "associates".

The gang's notoriety rose last year when it emerged that a young Socceroos star - Kerem Bulut - was allegedly a member of the gang.