Kaz Hamad’s plan to eliminate tobacco industry rivals paying off as smoke shops remain closed
Exiled crime boss Kazem Hamad’s plan to eliminate his smoke trade rivals is paying off, with the majority of stores torched in the simmering underworld war remaining closed.
Police & Courts
Don't miss out on the headlines from Police & Courts. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Two thirds of the tobacco stores that have been firebombed have been forced to close indefinitely as an exiled crime boss allegedly continues his attempts to monopolise the illicit smoke trade.
Deported crime kingpin Kazem Hamad is suspected of orchestrating the chaos across Melbourne from the Middle East and his attempts to eliminate rival competitors seems to be working.
A Herald Sun analysis of dozens of tobacco shops to be torched in the simmering underworld war found 66 per cent were yet to open their doors after being set alight.
Several of the smoke shops have remained in their burnt-out mess with shopfronts boarded up or fenced off for months after the attacks.
Hamad’s suspected destruction from over 12,000km away continues to keep Victoria Police’s Lunar task force investigators on their toes, who were, as of March 1, investigating 42 separate fires.
While a third of the shops targeted in the tobacco wars have been able to reopen, many of the businesses associated to Hamad’s rivals have not.
About 40 per cent of the gyms, restaurants and function centres targeted have also been forced to turn customers away after opposers torched them for various reasons.
While some of the businesses are connected to western suburbs crime figure Fadi Haddara – who largely occupied Melbourne’s tobacco scene unopposed for years – some have been unfairly caught in the crossfire.
Reception and entertainment centres that were due to hold functions with Hamad’s rivals have been set alight just days before the events, aiming to cause as much disruption as possible.
“It’s out of control”, one tobacco industry source said.
“The standover and extortion tactics used by these crime gangs hasn’t been seen for a very long time in Australia.”
The Furlan Club in Thornbury was set ablaze just two days before gangland figure Sam “the Punisher” Abdulrahim was due to return to the boxing ring at the venue last month.
That is suspected to be the work of Hamad, who continues to wage war against Abdulrahim among others.
The Karizma Restaurant in Docklands — owned by Fadi Haddara — confirmed they would be closed for good after fire tore through the New Quay Promenade joint in November.
Ezzat Haddara’s ice cream joint in Williamstown was torched in January.
They are yet to welcome customers back.
Abdullah Haddara’s smoke shop in Hoppers Crossing was torched last year before they vacated the premises shortly after.
More Coverage
Disarming moment during mushroom lunch survivor’s evidence
Ian Wilkinson, a church pastor, was polite as he gave evidence about what unfolded the day he and his wife, and in-laws, had lunch at Erin Patterson’s house.
Man accused of killing ‘Afghan Ali’ had links to bikie boss, court hears
A man accused of gunning down notorious underworld figure ‘Afghan Ali’ in a “targeted shooting” was linked to a former Comanchero boss, a court has heard.