Abdulrahim is suspected of being a key player in the revival of the Sydney gang Brothers 4 Life in Melbourne, which is fighting to gain control of part of Victoria’s billion-dollar illicit tobacco market.
Hamad, who emerged as one of the most powerful new kingpins in Melbourne’s underbelly after being released from jail in mid-2023 and deported to Iraq, is suspected of arranging the attempted hit from his sanctuary in the Middle East.
Officers from the Lunar and Viper taskforces are visiting each of the state’s estimated 1200 tobacconists. Investigators have so far found evidence of illicit tobacco in about 100 stores where they have executed search warrants.
Victoria Police Acting Commander Jason Kelly said intelligence suggested a high number of tobacconists in the state were involved in the black market trade.
“What we’re recognising is we won’t be able to police our way out of it without the support of the community [and] tobacco industry, and other government agencies’ involvement,” he said.
“Victoria Police in isolation cannot solve this. We are asking for the community’s help here, we are asking the councils for assistance, we’re asking everyone to look at this problem and assist us in coming up with the solutions.”
Nearly 60 Victorian tobacco stores have been razed in the turf war. Kelly said the initiative aimed to further reduce the number of illicit tobacco shops operating in Victoria by encouraging landlords to think twice about renewing tenants or entering new leases.
In March, Premier Jacinta Allan announced the government would introduce a licensing scheme for tobacconists in March, bringing Victoria in line with the rest of Australia. But it could be two years before the changes come into effect.
“The challenge we’ve got as law enforcement and other partner agencies over the next couple of years is how do we suppress that organised crime in an unregulated market,” Kelly said.
“In many shopping strips and local sets of shops, you’ve got tobacco and vape shops popping up, despite the fact that we’ve arrested 60 people, which is significant.”
Detective Inspector Graham Banks said the community had a shared responsibility to do their part to reduce the illicit tobacco market in Victoria.
“That includes landlords,” Banks said. “If landlords take responsibility for their premise and take appropriate action via their lease agreements, it will greatly assist in reducing the sale of illicit tobacco in community.”
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