Fire breaks out in Phoenicia Reception on Sydney Rd in Brunswick
Fire has broken out at a reception centre in Brunswick, the third entertainment venue in Melbourne’s northern suburbs to go up in flames in less than a week.
Police & Courts
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A reception centre set to host an event with links to several underworld figures is the third venue to go up in flames in Melbourne’s tobacco wars in less than a week.
Emergency crews were called to Phoenicia Reception on Sydney Rd about 5.10am on Tuesday, which sits above the Brunswick Market.
Task force Lunar detectives are investigating whether the blaze is connected to two other recent suspicious fires at similar venues in Thomastown and Thornbury believed to have been carried out amid brewing gangland tensions over the illegal tobacco trade.
One of those reception centres, whose owners police say are not involved in the illegal market, were due to host gangland figure Sam “The Punisher” Abdulrahim’s fight for a major boxing title last weekend before they were hit by fire.
Tuesday’s attack on Phoenicia Reception is understood to be the latest strike against the notorious Haddara crime clan.
It is the third entertainment venue in Melbourne’s northern suburbs to go up in flames in less than a week.
The Brunswick venue was slated to host a concert featuring several Middle Eastern singers this Saturday night in an event run by organisers who appear to be closely aligned with relatives within the Haddara family, as well as having associations with Abdulrahim.
Owner of WA Production Walid Abdo runs a production company that appears to be a major sponsor of the upcoming concert.
The 51-year-old is also the co-director of crime boss Fadi Haddara’s Docklands restaurant Almina, which went up in flames in another targeted attack in December.
A police statement released on Tuesday said investigators were treating the fire as suspicious.
“Detectives are investigating the circumstances surrounding a fire at a reception centre in Brunswick this morning,” a police statement said.
“At this stage investigators are treating the fire, which is believed to be suspicious, as a targeted attack.
“A crime scene has been established and an arson chemist along with detectives will attend the scene this morning.
“Police will investigate whether the fire has any links to other recent fires.”
The Furlan Club in Thornbury and Emerald Reception Centre in Thomastown were destroyed by fire on Thursday.
The Furlan Club was set ablaze days before it was set to host a fight involving gangland figure Sam “the Punisher” Abdulrahim.
The Furlan and Emerald blazes are suspected to be the work of crime exile Kazem Hamad, who has been waging a fiery war from the Middle East against Abdulrahim and others for many months.
There have been nearly 40 fire attacks connected to the tobacco wars so far.
Late last year, a Tullamarine reception centre was set alight days before it was to host a function involving opponents of exiled gangland wild man Kazem Hamad.
The business interests of Abdulrahim have previously been attacked by arsonists in what are suspected of being tobacco war-linked crimes.
A Moonee Ponds tobacconist and a Brunswick gym linked to the former Mongol bikie were both torched.
Anyone who witnessed any of the incidents incident or who has dashcam footage is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
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