Victoria Police have arrested a man they allege is a “significant ringleader” acting on behalf of a criminal group, accusing him of being responsible for multiple arson attacks on Melbourne businesses last year.
Police allege that the man was “responsible for commissioning a number of arson attacks on businesses in 2023, including at a Williamstown North smash repair on October 5, a Glenroy tobacco store on October 9 and two fires at a Docklands restaurant on November 18 and 20.
The 25-year-old will also be interviewed over a threat allegedly made against a tobacco store owner in Glenroy on September 24.
He is expected to be charged later today, police say.
Detective Inspector Graham Banks said on Tuesday that he is alleged to be “a significant ringleader on behalf of a serious Middle Eastern organised crime group”.
“The head of this group is overseas and had directed much of the harm that has been part of this landscape for several months,” he said.
“This individual police currently have in custody, who’s going to be spoken to in relation to a series of incidents of serious concern and currently police are searching premises associated to them…he’s been arrested specifically today in relation to six arsons.”
Speaking on the two separate arson attacks against the Docklands restaurant, Mr Banks said that the organised criminal group behind the attack targeted the venue for an unusual reason as it is “not involved in any way, shape, or form in the ongoing conflict”.
“This [restaurant] was targeted really, only to cause annoyance to an opposing group who had booked the venue,” he said.
“So the proprietors of this establishment had no idea that they were going to be subjected to an accident and had nothing to do whatsoever with the current conflict.”
Police further allege he is behind fires at a Tullamarine reception centre and another Docklands restaurant that both occurred on December 8.
Victoria Police took the Epping man into custody just after 3pm on Tuesday at a Bundoora address.
He is now being interviewed by police.
Mr Banks described Tuesday’s arrest as a “significant one” for Taskforce Lunar, which was set up to investigate arson attacks connected to the current illicit tobacco dispute.
“We’ve previously made it clear that it’s not just about arresting those who are being tasked to light fires, it’s crucial we make inroads into those higher up in the syndicates who are actively directing this criminality,” he said.
“By targeting those people we hope to cause as much disruption to these organised crime syndicates as possible and prevent further fires from occurring.
“Again, this is reckless behaviour that shows how little regard these people have for the lives and property of others. It puts innocent people at immense risk and it is behaviour we are doing everything we can to bring to a stop.”
Police believe that the current situation — which has seen tobacco stores, vehicles, gyms, restaurants and private addresses lit up in flames — has developed due to competition between criminal syndicates “for profit derived from the illicit tobacco market”.
Mr Banks said that the tobacco syndicate relates to a “massive market with millions and millions of dollars”, with an unnamed figure allegedly co-ordinating the market from overseas.
“We’re alleging this person [arrested today] has direct contact with the person who is directing all the harm from overseas and is then co-ordinating that harm in Victoria,” he said.
“There is nothing that would show us … that would stop this person from continuing to try and control that market, but certainly what [today’s arrest] will do, it will disrupt his particular business for some time.”
“The current conflict includes both the physical placement of illicit tobacco into stores, as well as demands for stores to sell the syndicate’s illicit product and to pay a ‘tax’ per week to operate,” a Victoria Police spokesperson said.
“Police believe the syndicates are comprised of personnel from Middle Eastern Organised Crime groups and Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs, who are then engaging local networked youth, street gangs and other low-level criminal to carry out the offending.”
There are currently 31 active arson investigations in place under Taskforce Lunar.
VIPER Taskforce, set up to pursue those believed to be behind the illicit tobacco market, has executed almost 70 warrants at tobacco stores in Victoria, with the following seized from raids:
- Nearly 109,000 vapes worth an estimated $3.2 million
- More than 3.2 million cigarettes worth $3.9 million in evaded duty excise
- Over one of tonne loose-leaf tobacco with duty excise evaded totalling $1.9M
- At least 2kg of cannabis
- At least 1kg of cocaine
- Almost $100K proceeds of crime
- Multiple weapons including ASP Batons and swords
More to come.