AN0M app helped Victoria Police Police foil murder plot at the 11th hour

A murder plot to shoot a crime figure at a Melbourne fight night was foiled at the last minute, with police swooping to thwart the plans.

A plot to shoot dead a crime figure at a Melbourne kick-boxing tournament was thwarted by police watching conversations among gangsters through an encrypted app.

The dramatic police intervention came as investigators secretly monitored criminals using the AN0M device – which they thought put them beyond surveillance.

The Herald Sun revealed last week that Comanchero ­bikies and senior mafia figures were among those unaware their communications were being followed by Australian Federal Police agents from the sprawling Ironside operation.

The target of the kickboxing scheme – one of more than 20 murders foiled nationwide by police – is not known.

Senior officers last week outlined details of a murder plot they say was to take place in the northern suburbs.

The arrangement was at an advanced stage when investigators made their move and found two stolen cars with cloned numberplates ready to be used in the plot.

A man was arrested by officers from Victoria Police crime command and a gun seized.

The kickboxing plan had echoes of the May 2008 plot to murder Fedele “Fred the Bear” D’Amico at a Docklands fight night.

The attempt was foiled by police at the 11th hour.

The intended hit had been cooked up by Italian organised crime figures who blamed D’Amico for the failure of drug importation efforts.

A second attempt to have D’Amico shot dead at the wedding of Mick Gatto’s son was also foiled.

The Melbourne kickboxing conspiracy was one of many murder plots uncovered by police spying on AN0M users.
Contract killing chatter online led to police across Australia intervening in 21 plots to kill.

Operation Ironside also struck a major blow against some of Australia’s most powerful drug traffickers.
In one spectacular bust generated by the AN0M intelligence, a syndicate allegedly conspired to ship drugs valued at $1.6bn into a western suburbs auto business.

Senior Australian Comancheros living offshore, including Hakan Ayik and Mark Buddle, are believed to be watching as events unfold.

Melbourne-based Comanchero wild man Hasan Topal, who is also living overseas, found out last week that brother Muhammed was among those arrested.