Caulfield South tobacco shop goes up in flames

A Caulfield South tobacco shop went up in flames overnight, threatening nearby premises and causing neighbours to be evacuated in the middle of the night.

A tobacco shop in Caulfield South has been damaged after a suspected fire bombing.Picture: David Crosling

Police are investigating another suspicious tobacco shop fire which destroyed a Caulfield South smoke shop in the early hours of Friday morning.

Emergency crews were called to the Glen Huntly Rd store after a passer-by saw the shop on fire just before 2.30am.

Police believe the offenders reversed a stolen vehicle into the shop front window before torching the store and fleeing in another waiting vehicle.

The shop was completely gutted and the apartment above also sustained significant damage.

The fire threatened nearby businesses, including a hair salon. Picture: David Crosling

Suspected fire bombing of a tobacco shop in Caulfield South. Picture: David Crosling

Fire crews arrived on scene to find the double-storey building “well alight” and brought the blaze under control about 3am.

“With premises on either side of the blaze under threat, crews quickly began an external attack on the fire to bring it under control and stop the spread to neighbouring properties in the retail business strip,” a Fire Rescue Victoria spokesperson said.

Victoria Police’s Lunar Taskforce are treating the blaze as a targeted attack and will examine any possible links to the 31 other investigations under Lunar’s watch.

The ongoing illicit tobacco war has gifted organised crime kingpins at least $1bn over three years as major players continue to fight for control of the market.

The Sunday Herald Sun last week revealed the booming sales of cheap smokes and vapes had snared crime bosses the eye-watering figure — leaving legal sellers almost $800m out of pocket.

Senior tobacco industry figures say illicit trade bosses have taken a 20 per cent chunk of the national legal smoke trade after more than 1000 tobacco shops popped up over the past five years.

Police are keen to speak to anyone who witnessed Friday’s blaze or who may have CCTV or dash-cam footage.