Pursuit of runaway prime suspects in failed cemetery hit on The Punisher hits dead end

The prime suspects in the failed hit on Sam Abdulrahim fled to the Middle East within 48 hours of the attack, and now the bid to bring them back to Melbourne has hit a dead end.

The pursuit of the runaway prime suspects in a failed cemetery hit on slain gangland figure Sam Abdulrahim has hit a dead-end.

The Herald Sun has been told a brief of evidence against the young males was not approved by the Office of Public Prosecutions, meaning any bid to push on with the case is effectively at a standstill.

If a brief on a foreign suspect is approved in Victoria, it would normally go to the office of the Federal Attorney-General for its assessment.

If backed there, the AG’s office would liaise with authorities in the relevant country about the possibility of extradition.

An Interpol red notice can also be issued, requesting law enforcement bodies in all counties to find the person of interest and make a provisional arrest.

Security cameras caught one of the men hiding in a bin at a fast food restaurant.

Investigators released images of two men they want to speak to.

The Office of Public Prosecutions declined to comment on the case.

The fugitives left for the Middle East within 48 hours of the botched attempted murder in which Abdulrahim was shot eight times.

Victoria Police detectives then set about preparing a case against the pair, who allegedly struck while Abdulrahim was at his cousin’s funeral at Fawkner Cemetery on June 25, 2022.

The suspects, who flew to Dubai on false passports, have never returned.

The Herald Sun has been told the case against the pair, who are believed to have been contracted to kill Abdulrahim, is strong.

CCTV and DNA are part of the brief of evidence sent to the DPP last year.

The car they used in the ambush, a Mazda SUV, was a possible source of evidence after it was crashed as the would-be killers sped from the scene.

It is likely their plan would have been to incinerate the Mazda in a bid to destroy damaging forensic material.

Abdulrahim was peppered with bullets in 2022 when he was ambushed at his cousin’s funeral. Picture: Supplied

Abdulrahim was shot dead in a targeted attack last month. Picture David Geraghty

Both were forced to run from the scene after ploughing it into a fire hydrant on Box Forest Rd.

One was caught on CCTV trying to hide in a bin at the back of a fast food restaurant on Sydney Rd.

The other carjacked a Ford Territory from a family before being caught on CCTV abandoning it in Brunswick Drive, Epping, that night.

Armed crime squad investigators later released images of the two.

Abdulrahim, a former Mongol bikie who boxed under the name “The Punisher”, was sitting in his Mercedes-Benz G-Class when he was shot.

He spent years living with the threat of death and in May last year there was another attempt on his life outside his Larch St, Thomastown, home.

One arm of a hit team set his parents cars alight in another suburb then others fired 17 shots at him as he ran from his own house to respond.

His enemies finally achieved their aim last month.

A group of up to four people pounced as he left the Quest apartments in Preston where he had been quietly staying after months of dodging and weaving both here and overseas to avoid his foes.

No arrests have been made over the killing.