FATAL STABBING LINKED TO DRUG GANG WAR

Vicious stabbings in the heart of Canberra yesterday left one man dead and
another seriously injured, following what is believed to have been a
gangland fallout over drugs.

The double-stabbing happened near a notorious city troublespot just after
3pm in a brawl police believe was linked to the Vietnamese heroin underworld.

One man in his early 20s was in hospital last night after collapsing in a
carpark with a single stab wound to the back.

About 150m down the road, a companion also in his early 20s died on the
footpath outside St Mary's Catholic Church at Braddon. He had suffered a
single stab wound to the chest.

It is understood the area between Garema Place and Braddon is significant in
a heroin "pipeline" stretching from Cabramatta to Canberra.

During the past nine months, drug dealers have competed for control of
heroin distribution in inner Canberra.

Police city district commander Brian Hepworth saidthe stabbings appeared to
have been related but police were still conducting inquiries to determine
whether the incident involved gang or drug warfare.