Vietnamese authorities have arrested two men in connection with the fatal shooting of Sydney underworld figure Lorenzo Lemalu. The 24-year-old was killed on a busy street in Ho Chi Minh City on Thursday night.
According to Vietnamese state media, Vaa Vaa, 27, is alleged to have fired the gun, while Tafia Steve, 23, is accused of being an accomplice. The suspects were apprehended less than 72 hours after the shooting near the Vietnam-Cambodia border.
Lemalu was suspected by NSW Police of leading the so-called "Coconut Cartel," a group involved in a violent feud with rival Sydney gangs. A second Australian, Sauni Sam, 27, was also shot and seriously injured in the attack.
Vietnamese state media reported that the suspects entered Ho Chi Minh City on May 14 and surveilled the victims before opening fire after a party at a seafood restaurant. Security footage shows two men in black firing at Lemalu and an associate as bystanders fled.
Authorities have also issued an emergency detention order for Nguyen Trong Nghia, a 24-year-old train driver, and are investigating seven others for failing to report the crime or assisting the alleged perpetrators. The Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security stated that law enforcement is focusing on handling those involved strictly according to the law.
