Ghady Almuzain, 44, charged over Cohuna tobacco store firebombing

A Broadmeadows man has been charged after allegedly driving three hours in the middle of the night to firebomb a tobacco shop near the state’s border.

Another alleged player in the state’s escalating illicit tobacco wars has been named as Ghady Almuzain.

The 44-year-old Broadmeadows man appeared before the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Monday charged with a tobacco store firebombing in Cohuna on the state’s border.

Police allege Mr Almuzain travelled almost three hours to the border town where he and a co-accused set fire to a tobacco store about 3am on July 7.

A car was allegedly driven into the King St shopfront before it was destroyed by flames.

Police raided Mr Almuzain’s home on Friday where they seized an Isuzu truck, allegedly stolen from a Niddrie address earlier this month.

He was charged with two counts of criminal damage by fire and three counts of theft of a motor vehicle.

Broadmeadows man Ghady Almuzain, 44, was charged with two counts of criminal damage by fire and three counts of theft of a motor vehicle.

Mr Almuzain will reappear in Mildura Magistrates Court . Picture; Supplied

Almuzain made no application for bail and was remanded to reappear in the Mildura Magistrates’ Court on October 9, alongside his co-accused.

That man, aged 37 from Tarneit, was arrested last Tuesday following a raid at his home.

He was charged with two counts of criminal damage by fire, two counts of theft of motor vehicle, theft, theft from motor vehicle, possess cannabis, possess prohibited weapon and fail to provide pin.

A stolen Mazda CX5 with cloned number plates believed to have been used in the arson attack was located at his home, police allege.

Police also seized a jerry can, cannabis, taser and cash.

Taskforce Lunar was launched in October to combat an unprecedented wave of tobacco store firebombings by rival criminal syndicates.

Since then, more than 70 people involved in the illicit tobacco trade have been arrested.

Among them are low-level foot soldiers acting on the instruction of major organised criminals.

Detective Inspector Graham Banks said the estimated cost of arson attacks has far exceeded one million dollars.

He urged tobacco consumers to buy products legally to avoid fuelling the criminal trade.

“While we understand the cost of legal tobacco is high, in purchasing illegal tobacco you are effectively funding organised crime – that money will be used in serious and violent offending such as firearms incidents, extortions, arsons, illicit drug manufacture and trafficking, and at it’s worst, murders,” he said.

Anyone with information on illegal activity related to illicit tobacco is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or crimestoppersvic.com.au