New laws, tougher penalties to crack down on NSW gang violence | ABC NEWS

Young people have been warned they could face adult penalties if they are convicted of organised crime violence, as part of a government crackdown on those planning gang-related hits.

It comes as NSW Police continue to investigate the suspected mistaken identity shootings of university student Marco Tapia and 40-year-old Joshua Macdonald last week.

Under the legislative changes, new aggravated offences would be introduced for conspiracy and attempted murder, with the maximum penalty increased from 25 years in jail to life imprisonment.

Interim orders will be introduced to allow urgent restrictions to be imposed on where a person can go, who they can talk to, and what devices they can access even before a full order is made by the Supreme Court.

Serious children's indictable offences will also be expanded to cover conduct linked with organised crime, such as public shootings and firebombings.

As a result, young people accused of such offences would be tried in higher courts, and risk facing adult penalties, if convicted.

Police have previously said underworld figures who moved offshore were contracting young people to carry out killings and other violent crime.

Mr Minns said the government would also invest $15 million to expand NSW Police technology capabilities to "smash open" criminal networks using encrypted devices and digital platforms to communicate.

The NSW government earlier this year proposed separate legislative reform to deter criminal gangs from using young people and so called "kill cars" in organised violence.

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