G'day maties. "Down Under” in 'Sin City' Sydney, Australia, it seems the real life cops and robbers aka strong arm of the law (NSW Police) and criminal networks couldn't just sit back and watch videos and DVD's of 'Underbelly'. Dozens of Sydney based folks have decided to become crims for real and have been busted in a massive operation, with police seizing millions of dollars. Smash hit TV series (and mini movies) of 'Underbelly' are in production, but these Sydney wise guys might not get a change to watch it on the box, unless they let them enjoy the tele when while they are locked up in the clink. Maybe they might manage to smuggle in a mobile phone with TV access. Media Man and Gambling911 probe 'Real Life Underbelly' with just a dash of Aussiewood - Hollywood style 'Underbelly', to satisfy your fix...
An advanced and pretty tricky...before they were caught...drug supply network has been busted red handed by organised crime squad dee's less than 24 hours ago after they went in for the kill, so to speak, on 37 properties across the great state of New South Wales.
Police arrested 29 suspects, with an ex Olympian in the mix, and other well known and high-level syndicate folks, during a series of coordinated early morning raids.
The drug raids, which involved more than 500 'boys in blue' (and a few females too), have been described by commentators and insiders as one of the "largest drug operations ever conducted in NSW".
A NSW Police spokesman said the raids targeted "those involved in multiple high-level drug syndicates".
The raids took place at residences and buildings in Cronulla, Denham Court, Kogarah, Gosford and Caringbah. The golden sands of lifestyle heaven Bondi also saw some action, living up to it's rep as "Sydney's other golden mile".
Police advised the raids involved more than 500 officers who seized a mega amount of property including cold hard cash, deadly weapons and luxury cars.
Two crims have also been arrested in Western Australia by their state police force, as part of a tentacle of the 'Sin City' Octopus, now having all or most of its life support cut off.
As of time of publication police have seized at least $9m worth of illicit drugs.
"To date police have seized a total of 16.7 kilograms of prohibited drugs, 29kg of precursor chemicals, 5,848 tabs of LSD, and 30 cannabis plants, as well as 4 firearms and 600 rounds of ammunition," police said in a statement.
"It is anticipated that assets in excess of $14 million will be subject to investigation and seizure. These assets include real estate, luxury motor vehicles and aircraft."
Commander of the State Crime Command, Assistant Commissioner Dave Hudson said the arrest phase was one of the largest single operations ever conducted by the State Crime Command.
"More than 500 dedicated and highly-trained police have assisted in today’s operation and together represent a variety of specialist units under the NSW Police Force. The execution of 37 simultaneous search warrants and 29 arrests could not have been achieved without the expertise and hard work displayed by all officers involved. The State Crime Command is committed to targeting all levels of organised crime across the state and the drug trade is just one such area we will continue to target."
A total of 29 people including 26 men and three women have been arrested, and just look at the varied suburbs and ages of the folks nabbed...
* 60-year-old Croydon Park man * 34-year-old Kogarah man * 56-year-old Campsie man
* 66-year-old Cronulla man * 36-year-old Dolans Bay man * 24-year-old Greenacre man
* 49-year-old Sylvania man * 24-year-old Greenacre man * 49-year-old Sans Souci man
* 42-year-old Sans Souci man * 43-year-old Bexley woman * 35-year-old Rockdale man
* 49-year-old Matraville man * 54-year-old Eastlakes man * 60-year-old Newtown woman
* 31-year-old Darlinghurst man * 50-year-old Bondi Junction man * 43-year-old Denham Court man * 45-year-old Stanmore man * 50-year-old Earlwood man * 29-year-old Concord man * 61-year-old Eastwood man * 39-year-old Manly man * 42-year-old McMasters Beach man * 42-year-old Sawtell man * 29-year-old Gosford man
* 29-year-old Gosford woman * 52-year-old Brighton Le Sands man * 28-year-old Casula man.
Real Life Underbelly Types In Sin City Sydney May Not Get To See Smash TV Show In 2011...
Folks, here's what we hear is in the works. Note, we heard some of this on the mean streets of 'Sin City' Sydney and Melbourne, and from all the regular inter gossip from forums, and you get the idea, but we figure at least half of this should be true. You'll just have to keep watching if you want to find out what actually comes to pass.
2011: Underbelly: Razor
Season 4 has been confirmed by the Nine Network and it will air sometime next year. Underbelly 4 will be set during the roaring ‘20s in Sydney, when organised crime in Australia kicked off. This is the story of the bloody battle between the era’s most feared vice queens, Tilly Devine and her rival Kate Leigh.
Other Future Series
Our friends at Network Nine Australia have confirmed that the production of Underbelly Series 4 and 5 will proceed early 2011. Some folks tip a bit of production has happened already, but details are sketch. Although nothing has been confirmed by the Nine Network on the status of these series, the era settings, locations and even cast are almost entirely rumors. Various web sources and leakers initially claimed that the fourth series would be set in Queensland during the 1980's and others claimed that it would be set again in Sydney. Although unconfirmed, a report has stated that the crime franchise will now go back in time... a trip down memory land to the 1920's era in 'Sin City' Sydney. Info on the fifth season is currently unknown but rumors have stated that it could possibly be set in Melbourne again or in Queensland. The Nine Network is expected to unveil the Underbelly 4 plot and other details at its 2011 program launch. Media Man will be ringing the Nine switch early into the new week to confirm.
The Underbelly Files Telemovies
In early 2010 the Nine Network announced that three separate stand-alone crime telemovies will continue the Underbelly franchise. To be known as The Underbelly Files, the first will be titled Tell Them Lucifer was Here, the second Infiltration and the third The Man Who Got Away. The broadcast dates of these telemovies have yet to be officially confirmed, but they will most likely premiere on Australia's Nine Network early in the 2011 ratings season, followed by the fourth series of Underbelly, which will be set in Sydney in the 1920s.
Tell Them Lucifer Was Here
Tell Them Lucifer Was Here depicts the tragic murders of Victorian police officers, Gary Silk and Rod Miller which occurred in 1998 and shows the enormous efforts of the Lorimer Task Force in leading the manhunt for their killer or killers.
It stars Brett Climo, Jeremy Kewley, Todd Lasance, Greg Stone, Dimitri Baveas, Ditch Davey, Jane Allsop, Annie Jones, Paul O'Brien, Daniel Whyte, Chris Bunworth, James Taylor, Craig Blumeris, Jasmine Dare, Marshall Napier, Robert Taylor, Shanti Pezet and Lee Cormie, with a return guest appearance by Don Hany, who appeared in the original "Underbelly" series.
Late in 2010 this telemovie hit a potential legal snag which may result in it not being screened in Sydney.
Infiltration
Infiltration is an adaptation for screen from an autobiographical novel written by ex cop Colin McLaren. He and his police partner lived undercover in Griffith, Victoria for a number of years, in order to 'Infiltrate' the very closed and deadly Mafia community there. Colin slowly befriended the Romeo family and eventually became a dear and trusted family friend and confidant to Mrs Romeo. Much to the Romeo family's shock and betrayal, all is exposed.......leading to broken hearts and death........The two hour Tele Movie stars Valentino del Toro and Emma de Clario, whose portrayal of Mr and Mrs Romeo is nothing short of brilliant. Also Sullivan Stapleton, Jessica Napier, Tottie Goldsmith, Buddy Dannoun, Glenda Liscott and Henry Nixon.
The Man Who Got Away
The Man Who Got Away will tell the story of David McMillan who was a British born Australian drug smuggler and the only person in history to escape from Klong Prem prison in Bangkok. The telemovie is currently in production. As of time of publication it has no known release date. It stars Toby Schmitz as David McMillan and Claire van der Boom as McMillan's partner Clelia Vigano. The cast also features Jeremy Sims, Aaron Jeffery, Nicholas Eadie, Brendan Cowell, Freya Stafford, Josh Lawson, John Orcisk, William Zappa, Heather Mitchell and Deirdre Rubenstein.
Underbelly American Style!...
On June 22, 2010, it was announced that the Channel Starz will remake the Underbelly series. It will not be based on the original series, instead the writers will look for American gangs and rewrite situations in Underbelly: A Tale Of Two Cities replacing character traits and outcomes.
How did you find the 'Real Life Underbelly' report today? Did you enjoy the extra Aussiewood fodder? Offer your opinion in the Gambling911 forum.
Friends, before you ask, yes, there will some some strong gaming and gambling themes in a number of the upcoming productions. Please leave the bad guys stuff up to TV and move land, and be good Aussie citizens if you can.
If you have a bet, bet with your head, not over it, and for God's sake, have fun.
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*Greg Tingle is a Special Contributor to the Gambling911.com website and proprietor of Media Man International
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