Detectives arrest man believed to be tasking teens with attacks
A man arrested in Essendon is accused of giving firebombing duties to several criminals during firebombing attacks that terrorized Melbourne’s nightlife earlier this year.
The 20-year-old was caught by Armed Crimes Squad detectives at around 08.30 in the morning on Tuesday. Police say he is a high-ranking figure in an organized crime syndicate with ties to an offshore leader.
He is believed to have used encrypted apps to task criminals with a number of jobs in April, including a mistaken identity hijack in Malvern, an attempted aggravated home invasion in Doncaster and an attempted arson attack on a nightclub in Southbank.
Detective Inspector Graham Banks of Operation Eclipse said it was the “most significant” arrest of the operation so far.
In his statement, he said, “These crimes are important examples of crimes provided as a service, such as kidnapping, home invasion and arson.”
“This is a methodology we have seen used for several years before, where criminals are tasked with organized crime to employ intimidation tactics. “We have seen this through Taskforce Lunar and fully understand the complexities involved in investigating and preventing this serious crime.
“We will continue to work with our partner organizations to actively target unions involved in this crime. Victoria Police will do everything we can to hold them accountable.”
Between February and May this year, the crime spree involved more than 30 incidents of firebombings, shootings, home invasions and kidnappings.
The wave of violence has raised questions about the long-term sustainability of Melbourne’s industry as venues in the CBD, South Yarra and Prahran go up in flames.
One Iraq-based criminal organization He is the prime suspect in the search for the perpetrator of the attacks. The group is believed to be behind threatening messages sent to multiple venue owners last week warning that their businesses would be seized.
More to come
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