Fears Australia’s most terrifying new gang the ‘Coconut Cartel’ are behind ‘focused’ drive-by taking pictures ambush on NRL legend

Fears have been raised a gang known as the ‘Coconut Cartel’ could be behind a shooting that left a former NRL premiership winner fighting for his life.

Ex-Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs winger Matt Utai, 44, was shot twice on Macquarie Street in Greenacre, Sydney‘s south-west, just before 6am on Tuesday.

NSW Police allege an SUV drove past the home before up to five shots were fired from the vehicle. 

Paramedics treated Utai at the scene before police and ambulance crews escorted him under emergency conditions to St George Hospital. 

He remains in a serious but stable condition.

Sources told 2GB investigators were exploring whether the gunman may have intended to hit someone else.

NSW Police said in a press conference it appeared to be a targeted attack. 

Speculation has been raised the attack could have been carried out by the ‘Coconut Cartel’, a new underworld group allegedly connected to a recent firebombing of a home belonging to the Alameddines. 

Former NRL premiership winner Matt Utai was rushed to hospital on Tuesday morning after he was shot twice during an alleged drive-by

Emergency services were called to Macquarie Street in Greenacre just before 6am on Tuesday

The Coconut Cartel were once hired by the Alameddines, but the two camps had a falling out.

The breakaway gang is believed to be made up of former Kaiviti Family members – an Islander and Fijian gang. 

Following the shooting, police were called to Samuel Street in Wiley Park, where officers found an SUV on fire.

The fire was extinguished by Fire and Rescue NSW, and the car was seized for forensic examination.

Police have established crime scenes at both locations, with Bankstown detectives commencing an investigation and treating both incidents as linked.

Utai’s former teammate Brent Sherwin described the shooting as devastating.

‘My heart goes out to his partner and kids,’ he told the Sydney Morning Herald. 

‘We’re praying he comes through. I wish him all the best and hope he is OK. We’re praying he’s alright. 

Later, police were called to Samuel Street in Wiley Park where officers found an SUV on fire

‘He was a massive part of our team, not just scoring tries, but taking the hard carries on our own line.

‘He never shirked away from any of it, he put his hand up and took it all. He had a big heart. We’re praying he will be OK.’ 

Premiership-winning prop Mark O’Meley revealed Utai was ‘breathing okay’.

‘Everyone has been on the group chat all morning, we just hope he’s OK,’ he said.

‘[Teammate] Reni Maitua has been chatting to the family and keeping us updated, which has been great.’

Utai, who was born in Auckland in 1981, played eight seasons at the Canterbury Bulldogs from 2002 to 2009.

Over that period, he also represented New Zealand four times and Samoa three times. 

When he left the NRL arena in 2013, he had scored a record of 85 tries over his total of 167 games. 

During his career, Utai suffered significant injuries including a knee problem that cut off a potential move to Super League club Celtic Crusaders in 2010.

From 2011 until his retirement in 2013, he played for the West Tigers.