Alleged ‘kill team’ charged after arrest en route to hit near Sydney daycare

New South Wales police have charged three men with conspiracy to commit murder, alleging they were a “hit team” arrested while on their way to kill a man near a Sydney daycare centre.

In a statement, police said officers were conducting a routine surveillance operation in Sydney’s Condell Park area on Tuesday when they allegedly identified the trio “mobilising to carry out an offence”.

Officers immediately sought assistance from the tactical operations unit, PolAir, the dog squad and the state intelligence command.

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Just before 4pm they stopped two vehicles in Revesby and arrested the three men, aged 18, 19 and 26. A search of the cars allegedly found two firearms, balaclavas, body-worn cameras and a jerry can filled with fuel. A third firearm was later found at a premises linked to the men.

Police allege the men had been on their way to try and murder another man near a daycare centre in Sydney’s south-west.

The two younger men were charged with conspiracy to commit murder, possession of an unauthorised pistol and participating in a criminal group, among other charges. The 26-year-old was charged with conspiracy to commit murder and participation in a criminal group.

“This was a calculated and coordinated intervention that stopped what we will allege was a planned killing nearby a daycare centre – a deeply concerning scenario,” Scott Cook, an assistant commissioner and state crime commander for NSW police, said in the statement.

“This outcome reflects the strength of our intelligence capabilities and the precision of our surveillance operations. These individuals were being watched, and we moved at the right moment.”

Cook said officials would continue work to “dismantle” organised crime networks operating across Sydney, adding police would take action to protect the community from such networks “especially when it threatens everyday spaces where families expect to feel safe”.

The three men were refused bail and were due to appear in Bankstown local court later today.