Pause in shop firebombings leads to hope the tobacco wars ended with the murder of Sam Abdulrahim

After a month since the last firebombing, there is optimism that the tobacco wars ended with the murder of Sam “The Punisher” Abdulrahim.

There is cautious optimism Melbourne’s destructive tobacco wars ended with the murder of Sam “The Punisher” Abdulrahim.

It is almost a month since the last firebombing suspected of having links to the illicit smoke trade, sparking hope that the warfare in which more than 130 smoke shops and other businesses were set alight may be done.

The pause in fighting has extended beyond the murder of Middle-eastern organised crime figure Abdulrahim in a gangland ambush at Preston on January 28.

The Abdulrahim killing is viewed as a potential turning point in the conflict and has come amid the biggest break between fires for almost two years.

He and exiled crime kingpin Kazem Hamad had been involved in tit-for-tat arson attacks for more than 18 months in a bitter battle for control of the outlaw smoke trade.

The last suspicious fire was in January on Chapel Street. Picture: David Crosling

Sam Abdulrahim was shot dead in a Preston car park early this year. Picture: David Geraghty

“The war ended. Everyone made peace now after (death of) Sam. He was the only issue left for the tobacco war for Kaz,” one underworld source said.

As well as the money factor, Hamad would have been glad to see Abdulrahim gone because he blamed him for setting up close mate Kadir Ors to be shot in a 2016 hit by George Marrogi.

One observer remarked that whoever murdered Abdulrahim may have done more to end the tobacco conflict than the state government has done in the past 18 months.

There is still the opportunity for massive money to be made with Victoria’s tobacco licensing scheme not expected to be operating until next year.

The source said big players in the black market game were just getting down to making money.

A tobacco shop on Bridgewater Rd Craigieburn that was destroyed in an overnight arson. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

“Everyone putting their heads down and bringing in millions at the moment,” the source said.

The last smoke shop to be set ablaze came more than four weeks ago after a Chapel St tobacconist was razed by fire on January 15.

It remains unclear whether the tobacconist or dessert joint next door were the intended targets.

Two Springvale stores were also torched on January 9 but they are the only known tobacco fires since the start of the year.

The tobacco war has been running for two years but first burst to public attention in June, 2023, when a Moonee Ponds shop linked to Abdulrahim was torched.

The number of smoke shop fires has remained steady around the 130 mark since Christmas but is surging toward 200 across the country.

Originally published as Pause in shop firebombings leads to hope the tobacco wars ended with the murder of Sam Abdulrahim