Horse trainer Les Samba murder linked to organised crime syndicate
UPDATE: HORSE trainer Les Samba’s murder is now believed to have been ordered by an international crime and drugs syndicate he owed big money to.
Law & Order
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THE murder of horse trainer Les Samba was ordered by an international organised crime syndicate, gangland investigators believe.
The Herald Sun first reported that those suspected of being behind the cold-blooded execution in Middle Park are from a crime cell in New South Wales.
Mr Samba is believed to have had links to those crime figures in Australia, Malaysia and other countries.
Now details of the “dark side” of Les Samba’s life have been revealed as police investigate whether a $200,000 debt may have led to the racing identity’s killing.
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His murder remains one of Victoria’s most notorious unsolved crimes, with speculation pointing to some of Australia’s colourful racing identities.
It comes as police plead for a mystery caller with knowledge of the murder to phone them back.
Police are searching for the mystery man interstate but they fear the “sinister possibility” that he may have been killed since he gave them information late last year.
The man phoned from New South Wales and identified a person believed to have been the central figure in organising Mr Samba’s death. Police believe there were at least two people present at the time of the killing four years ago.
The head of the police’s Paruna taskforce has confirmed “family man” Mr Samba had “another side” to him-- a side that involved drugs, drug money and connections to an international crime syndicate.
“We do have information that he did owe a substantial amount of money to this syndicate,” Detective Inspector Andrew Gustke said.
“He had associates that were also involved (in the syndicate).
“This is a group that has been known nationally and internationally.”
“We believe the motive revolves around money and drugs,” Insp. Gustke had earlier told the Herald Sun.
Purana taskforce detectives are this morning in NSW and Western Australia looking for more evidence as the murder inquiry gains fresh impetus.
Detectives have travelled to Perth to interview 18 people, and a further six people will be questioned in Sydney.
Purana Taskforce detectives arrived in Perth on Monday afternoon.
Detective Senior Constables Joel Dettman and Brooke Ford are expected to spend about a week in WA talking to about 18 people connectioned to the case.
“We’re here as long as it takes, most of the week probably,” Sen-Constable Dettman said.
None of the 18 people police are wishing to talk to are suspects in the 2011 murder and some are members of the racing industry.
“We’re speaking to a number of people this week, the details of of which we’re not really going to talk about with you...They’re witnesses, associates of Mr Samba, friends, all of those.
“Some of them have (talked to us before) some of them haven’t.”
Sen-Constable Dettman said he could not comment on how big a role the WA connections played in the investigation, other than, “Mr Samba had a lot of strong links here and spent a fair bit of time here”.
Mr Samba’s daughter, Victoria — a former Spring Racing Carnival ambassador and ex-wife of top jockey Danny Nikolic — has been desperately hoping for the killer to be brought to justice.
Mr Samba was shot dead on Beaconsfield Parade on the night of February 27, 2011.
A major breakthrough in the case came when an unknown person made two calls to the Victoria Police homicide squad.
That caller spoke twice to the squad’s former head, retired detective inspector John Potter.
In one of the exchanges, he nominated a person involved with the crime gang.
One of the telephone calls, made last year, has been traced back to a public phone box.
Investigators from Operation Gormand, the team investigating the killing, have been able to verify much of what the man said and have urged him to resume contact.
“We believe it (his information) is very credible,” Insp. Gustke told the Herald Sun.
“There are parts of the call we believe we have corroborated,” he added.
Investigators say that while the calls came from New South Wales, it does not necessarily mean the person who made them was from that state.
Mr Samba, a father of two from Adelaide, had been in Melbourne for the Inglis yearling sales on the weekend that he died.
He operated as a horse trainer, respected for his knowledge of horse flesh.
But police now know horses were not his only area of interest.
“We have uncovered, as part of our inquiries, that Mr Samba did have links to organised crime identities,” Insp. Gustke said.
A reward of $1 million is still up for grabs for information leading to the arrest and successful prosecution of those involved in the killing.
An indemnity from prosecution would be considered by the Department of Public Prosecutions for anyone who helps identify the principal offenders.
Anyone with information can call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or visit the website www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
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