Ettalong: New tobacconist firebombed two days after ram raid sparking fears of turf war
A new tobacconist was firebombed by two men seen fleeing the shop with a jerry can just days after it was ram raided, sparking fears of a looming turf war on the Central Coast.
Central Coast
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Police are appealing for information after a tobacconist was firebombed two days after it was extensively damaged during an apparent ram raid.
The sudden escalation in violence has alarmed the local business community with fears the proliferation of tobacconist shops in the area, where three have opened in the past 12 months, is igniting a “turf war”.
Police were called to Memorial Ave, Ettalong Beach, about 8.20am on Wednesday following reports a shop had been ram raided.
On arrival, Brisbane Water police found the new tobacconist, which had only been open for a week and was still in the process of being fitted out, with all its front windows and internal glass panelling smashed.
About 1:35am on Friday, emergency services were called back to the same shop following reports of a fire.
Fire & Rescue NSW attended and extinguished the blaze but not before several adjoining shops suffered smoke and water damage.
Police established a crime scene and commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Detectives have issued a public appeal for information about two men who were seen entering the property, one carrying a jerry can, before running from the scene.
Peninsula Chamber of Commerce president Matthew Wales said there was a genuine fear in town of a looming turf war similar to Melbourne where more than 60 fires in stores, centres and restaurants in the past 12 months have been linked to a “tobacco war” between rival criminal gangs looking to take control of the sale of illegal “chop shop” tobacco.
Authorities there believe the firebombings have been a mix of retaliation strikes between gangs and intimidation of legitimate shop owners who are being coerced into selling illegal tobacco through threats of “earn or burn”.
“Clearly there’s an issue here,” Mr Wales said.
“This is not random or accidental. This seems to be targeted. The business community are deeply concerned that we are getting embroiled in a tobacco turf war when we’ve had a proliferation of [tobacconists] open.”
There is no suggestion the shop targeted by this week’s attacks, or any of the other three existing tobacconist shops in Ettalong, were selling illegal tobacco or involved in any wrongdoing.
As inquiries continue, anyone with information about these incidents is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
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