Police say a Sydney drug lord with a “big target on his back” was the victim of Tuesday’s brazen daylight shooting in Bondi, with media describing him as “Australia’s Tony Soprano”.

Gangland mobster Alen Moradian was shot dead while sitting in his car in an underground carpark near Sydney’s busy Bondi Junction shopping precinct about 8.30am.

In an update, Detective Superintendent Danny Doherty said it seemed two shooters were involved in the “well-planned executed murder”, and two burnt-out cars were discovered nearby.

One was a Porsche found on James Street, Bondi Junction, about the same time.

Detectives are also investigating a torched Holden Commodore found on Cook Lane, in nearby Zetland.

Superintendent Doherty said the shooting “bears the hallmark of an organised crime murder”.

“We believe this is a targeted shooting and we believe it’s a targeted shooting of a high-level organised crime identity,” he said.

Superintendent Doherty said the victim, who police have not officially named, had “an extensive criminal history” and was well-known to police.

“He’s a high-level criminal identity. He’s a major player and because he’s a major player in the organised crime network and also has links to the
Commancheros, high level, he also had a big target on his back,” he said.

Nicknamed “Fathead”, Mr Moradian was a “Mr Big” of the cocaine trade and likened to Tony Soprano, of The Sopranos TV series, by his wife Natasha Youkhana.

Mr Moradian was arrested in 2007 along with Ms Youkhana and others over what police at the time called one of the largest cocaine and money laundering rackets in NSW history.

Mr Moradian was sentenced to 16 years and nine months in jail for importing and supplying cocaine.

During his trial, the court was told the gangster couple lived a life of luxury, using drug money to buy property, designer furniture, jewellery, a wedding reception, luxury travel and accommodation.

An email showed Ms Youkhana urging her husband to be more like Tony Soprano, for fear their over-the-top lifestyle would result in them getting caught.

“Why do you just sit there and show off – ‘I am the man, I am the man’?” the email, tendered in police facts, read.

“Do you see Tony Soprano doing that?

“He doesn’t care who people think is the boss, [money] is his No.1 priority. You, on the other hand, want the attention, you get a big head, you love it.

“People like that won’t survive.”

Aged 48, the Bondi Junction resident was ambushed and died in the cunning attack in Spring Street, near the popular Westfield shopping centre, early on Tuesday.

Roads surrounding the scene were closed as the police investigation began, with people told to stay away.

Superintendent Doherty said police who were responded to the emergency calls didn’t really know what they were going to face.

“They knew there was shots fired and went into an underground car park. That would have been tough call,” he said.

“As police do, they run towards danger, not away from danger. In this case they tried to revive the person and despite their efforts were unable to revive him.”

He said police were appealing to the public for witnesses.

“We’re focusing all our attention at the moment on obtaining CCTV and witnesses and gaining as much information as we can.”

-with AAP