NSW Police believe the body found in a burnt-out car was that of the kidnapped woman. Photo: ABC News/Greg Bigelow
New South Wales Police believe the kidnapping and killing of a 45-year-old woman in Sydney's southwest last week has links to an "organised crime network".
Five armed men took the woman by force from her Bankstown home on Thursday night and what police believed to be her body was found an hour later in a burnt-out car in Beverly Hills.
The assailants also allegedly assaulted an eight-year-old boy known to the woman.
Detective Superintendent Joe Doueihi said the woman's male partner's alleged involvement with organised crime was being investigated.
"We believe that the motivation is a clear result of the male partner's involvement with an organised crime network," he said. "It appears the male was in some sort of conflict with the members of that particular organised crime group."
'Innocent family members' allegedly targeted
Superintendent Doueihi alleged the male partner worked for and travelled to the Victorian-based organised crime group "for a considerable period of time". This group was believed responsible for large-scale drug manufacturing.
Police believed many of those involved in the group were "mainly Vietnamese males".
"However, there is no information or evidence to suggest that the upper echelons of the organised crime group are linked to South-East Asian crime groups," Superintendent Doueihi said.
Victoria Police have since raided a rural property in Springdallah, southwest of Ballarat, where evidence of drug manufacturing and a drug lab were found. No arrests have been made or charges laid.
Detective Superintendent Joe Doueihi said the alleged attack had links to an "organised crime network". Photo: ABC News/Ethan Rix
Superintendent Doueihi said the woman was not known to police and did not have a criminal history. The woman's partner was in contact with police and was assisting them with their investigation.
"The level of violence against innocent family members... is rare and unprecedented," Superintendent Doueihi said, describing a "clear disregard for human life".
"These offences are clearly targeted offences... against innocent people."
He said the organised crime groups were "breaking their own code of conduct" by targeting innocent women and children.
"It's something we at the NSW Police Force will not tolerate and we will throw every resource we have available to solve this crime."
The Bankstown house where the mother of two was kidnapped on Thursday about 10.30pm. Photo: ABC News/Victoria Pengilley
Children under protection in hospital
Two boys known to the woman remained in hospital under police guard.
The eight-year-old boy remained in an induced coma, after assailants allegedly hit him on the head with a baseball bat on Thursday night.
"We are hopeful that medical staff will wean him out of that induced coma today," Superintendent Doueihi said. "Unfortunately we expect that child may suffer some long-life complications as a result of these injuries, but it is still early days."
A 15-year-old boy was "not physically assaulted".
"He is being treated at hospital for the trauma he is experiencing," Superintendent Doueihi said.
A post-mortem of the woman is scheduled for Wednesday.
NSW Police have attempted to contact relatives in Vietnam of the deceased woman and have so far been unsuccessful, with no other relatives known in Australia.
Superintendent Doueihi asked for anyone who witnessed the crime, or who may have personal knowledge of the people associated in NSW or Victoria, to come forward.
- ABC
