Brothers for Life figure's offer to hunt down stolen rocket launcher for police

An underworld gang figure has become one of the latest leads for police trying to hunt down Sydney's missing rocket launchers after he offered to find one in return for a lenient sentence. 

But when the Brothers for Life member was quoted a figure of $200,000 or more to buy the weapon - one of at least nine still uncounted for - he opted against it. 

A photo of 66mm rocket launcher simlilar to those stolen from the army. Photo: Supplied

The prize offering would have been a massive win for law enforcement, which has been trying to secure the extremely dangerous weapons since they were stolen from an army base many years ago.

Fairfax Media understands negotiations are now underfoot with another notorious criminal, who has claimed to know where one of these rocket launchers is stowed and how to get it back. 

A Brothers for Life gang member has offered to help police find one of the missing rocket launchers. Photo: Supplied

At least some of the weapons are believed to have fallen into the hands of Sydney extremists, fuelling grave concerns about their future use. 

The purported opportunity for these criminals to hunt down a rocket launcher through an extensive network of underworld contacts is a sign of the confronting nexus between organised crime and extremism in Sydney. 

Fairfax Media has been told that the BFL member suggested to police that he could recover one of the rocket launchers for them ahead of his sentence for a violent offence.

His gang was obliterated in 2013 after shootings and endless violence sparked a police crackdown.

Shane Della-Vedova stole the 10 rocket launchers from the ADF between 2001 and 2003. Photo: JALO

He initially believed he could get the rocket launcher for free and it is understood he had consulted with another inmate, an Islamic extremist, about this. 

The gang figure's case was adjourned accordingly but he eventually came back empty-handed. 

Brothers for Life insignia.  Photo: supplied

A source close to him said he wasn't prepared to cough up the hefty cost, instead preferring to put it towards a luxury car once he was out of jail.

The BFL member went on to receive a maximum jail sentence of more than 10 years. 

As for the other convicted murderer now offering to find the sought-after rocket launcher for police, it is not the first time he has tried such a ploy. 

It is understood several years ago he called a law enforcement agency and claimed he could source the weapon in return for indemnities, rewards or reductions in sentences for him and his associates. 

The information was treated dubiously by various agencies and never bore fruit. Yet it seems that has not deterred him from giving the offer another go. 

For more than 10 years, police have followed up every whisper and credible lead regarding the whereabouts of these potentially destructive weapons. It led them to search bushland on the city's south-western fringes after evidence emerged suggesting a terror cell had bought and buried some of the weapons.

Former army officer Shane Della-Vedova stole the 10 rocket launchers from the ADF between 2001 and 2003. He was sentenced to at least seven years jail and granted parole in 2014.

After passing through the hands of western Sydney crime figure Addan "Eddie" Darwiche, five of the weapons were sold on to Mohamed Ali Elomar.

Elomar was the "puppet master" of a Sydney cell netted during Australia's largest terrorism investigation, Operation Pendennis, in 2005. He is the uncle of the Islamic State jihadist of the same name who went to fight in Syria. 

The men convicted over the Pendennis plot, spent time in jail with the criminal now claiming to have access to a rocket launcher. 

One of the weapons has been recovered but the rest are still missing. ​

During the Pendennis raids police uncovered instructions on how to hide anti-tank rockets inside plastic PVC piping. Identical piping had been bought and digging equipment found in a suspect's car, leading police to believe the launchers had been buried.

NSW Police declined to comment when asked about the rocket launcher negotiations.