Nobu, $270k cash and a number plate to taunt police: The high life of tobacco war accused

One of exiled gangland boss Kaz Hamad’s alleged key Melbourne lieutenants bought the custom number plate “MEOC” in an apparent joke about police’s allegation he was a notorious “Middle Eastern Organised Crime” figure.

The flashy life and alleged crimes of Majid Alibadi, who police allege is Hamad’s “regional operations manager”, were laid bare during an application to revoke his bail in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.

Majid Alibadi gets into a Rolls-Royce after being released on bail from Melbourne Assessment Prison in February.Credit: Jason South

The court was told the 25-year-old, who is facing more than 20 charges related to his alleged involvement in the so-called “tobacco war”, leads a luxury lifestyle marked by a taste for fine dining at Nobu, Fendi shopping sprees, luxury Mornington Peninsula accommodation and first-class air travel.

“I believe Nobu is a favourite. When he was in custody and offered a meal, he asked if Nobu was available,” Detective Leading Senior Constable Matthew Lindsay said. “He also tended to attend high-value fashion outlets … on one occasion, he spent $30,000 at Fendi.”

The court was also told Alibadi was recently mailed $270,600 in cash from a top member of the Hamad syndicate to pay for his “defence”.

Hamad has emerged as one of the most powerful new kingpins in Melbourne’s underworld after being released from jail in mid-2023 and deported to Iraq.

Kazem “Kaz” Hamad in about 2015.

From a secure base in the Middle East, Hamad has been linked by police intelligence and evidence in court proceedings to dozens of firebombings and suspected of involvement in at least two murders in a fight for control of Melbourne’s illicit tobacco and drug trade.

Lindsay testified for nearly two hours on Thursday about Alibadi and his role in the Hamad syndicate, which has allegedly involved Alibadi planning, orchestrating or facilitating firebombings, witness intimidation and robberies.

Police have applied to revoke Alibadi’s bail after he had been released in mid-February over his alleged involvement in organising arson attacks on businesses owned by rivals in the Haddara crime family.

Alibadi infamously left the Melbourne Assessment Prison on his release on February 17 in a Rolls-Royce that is suspected to have been sent by his alleged boss, Hamad, as a reward. The Rolls-Royce sped off from the CBD accompanied by associates driving a Lamborghini.

Alibadi was re-arrested in April after allegedly committing a series of other crimes, including failing to adhere to bail monitoring conditions.

Lindsay alleged that Alibadi’s lavish lifestyle and role as a key “agent” for the Hamad crime syndicate had been uncovered, in part, because of a “bug”, or listening device, planted in his car between October and January as part of an investigation into the attempted theft and desecration of the body of crime figure George Marrogi’s sister and business partner, Meshilin “Mesh” Marrogi, from a mausoleum in July last year.

The recordings, as well as messages from encrypted apps found on one of Alibadi’s phones, allegedly showed him in constant communication with Hamad, his brother and alleged key lieutenant Maytham Hamad and various other associates.

This included creating an encrypted chat known as “The Crime Family Group”.

The court was also told Hamad had a nickname – “Old Mate” – among members of his crew.

Lindsay alleged Alibadi was deeply involved in orchestrating the arson attacks, including keeping a “stable” of stolen cars around the city for underlings and associates to use in firebombings and burglaries.

It was also alleged that Alibadi was implicated in covering up a home invasion in Donnybrook in January where an associate had been killed, suggesting the possibility of “silencing” any potential witnesses or residents with CCTV footage.

Lindsay said police had “grave concerns” about Alibadi being given bail again. “The belief was, and still is, that Mr Alibadi acts in a manner which is reckless and disregards the safety of members of the community, and he encourages others to do the same.”

He said Alibadi “actively encouraged people to interfere with witnesses” and he had instructed associates to flee from police by “driving on the wrong side of the road at 150km/h”.

“We have him in his car, speaking with Maytham, speaking with Kaz, receiving direction, giving direction and there is a direct nexus between those occurrences and the fires … They have access to enormous financial resources,” Lindsay said.

A criminal investigation was also being conducted into the private company, Australian Forensic Treatment Rehabilitation Pty Ltd (AFTR), that provide bail monitoring and rehabilitation services as a result of evidence gathered during the investigation into Alibadi’s alleged bail violations, Lindsay said.

Alibadi’s barrister, Dermot Dann, KC, is fighting the bail revocation, arguing his client should instead be sent to a residential treatment facility.

The hearing continues.

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