Campbellfield shop torched in latest blow in tobacco wars

Yet another Melbourne tobacco store has been set on fire, this time in Campbellfield where arsonists smashed through the front of the shop before setting it ablaze.

Arsonists have torched yet another tobacco shop in a ram raid in the early hours of Friday morning.

Attackers drove a car through the front of a store in Campbellfield before setting the vehicle alight.

Firefighters arrived at the shop on Cheviot Road shortly after 3.30am to find the store ablaze.

The 28 fireys who attended the scene were able to bring the blaze under control by 4am, preventing the flames spreading to neighbouring shops.

Nobody was injured in the attack.

Police on the scene of the latest Melbourne arson attack Picture: Andrew Henshaw

The gutted tobacco shop on Cheviot Rd in Campbellfield. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

A car was rammed through the front of the store. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Friday’s incident is about the 120th such shop fire in Victoria since March 2023.

The war for control of the state’s illicit tobacco trade shows no signs of abating despite the recent arrest of alleged syndicate ringleader Nazir Haddara.

Victoria remains the only state in Australia without a tobacco licensing scheme after the Allan government shot down a Coalition bill to implement one on Tuesday.

Under the proposed bill all wholesale and retail tobacco stores would need a licence to operate and Victoria Police would receive beefed-up powers to raid businesses and seize illegal products.

Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation Minister Melissa Horne said the government’s own licensing scheme was on track to be introduced to parliament by the end of the year.

A report by Better Regulation Victoria recommended the Labor government introduce a tobacco licensing scheme in May 2022.