TikToker inserts himself into tobacco war firing line

A TikToker who has inserted himself into Melbourne’s tobacco wars with a series of online attacks claims he’s now being threatened by powerful crime boss Kaz Hamad.

A media figure claims he has been threatened by Kaz Hamad after launching online attacks on the powerful crime boss.

The man, who describes himself as an independent journalist, has made a series of disparaging posts recently about Hamad, the man who has up-ended Melbourne’s underworld in the past year with an aggressive play for the city’s illicit tobacco trade.

It seems Hamad took grave exception to the comments.

The media figure’s TikTok site now contains a post containing what appears to be an AI-generated video of Hamad.

The account says the audio with the post is the voice of Hamad.

“Hey, look (name retracted),” the speaker says.

“You’re having your fun, I accept that, buddy. Calling me a dog.

“They’re only words. But you know when I get my hands on you, I won’t be calling you a dog to your face. No, no, I wouldn’t.

“I’m gonna watch you cry. You think you’re f...... sweet?”

The fake video shows Hamad speaking in front of some kind of temple as Survivor’s Eye of the Tiger plays in the background.

The TikTok account introduces the video with the words, “You asked for it, here it is. Big man intimidating independent media from Iraq. Most would fold. I was raised differently.”

Kaz Hamad (left) on a night out with Toby Mitchell (right). Picture: Supplied

It also mocks efforts to target Hamad’s underworld rival Sam “The Punisher” Abdulrahim.

Abdulrahim escaped an attempted hit at his Thomastown home last month and his unoccupied house was peppered with bullets in a weekend drive-by shooting.

Hamad was deported to his native Iraq in the middle of last year after doing a prison term for drug trafficking with a major Melbourne crime ring.

He has since shown he maintains considerable reach back here, where police suspect he has ordered associates to carry out dozens of arson attacks in conflict over control of the outlaw tobacco sector.

The media figure has been approached for comment.

He has a thousands-strong following across TikTok and Instagram, where he has recently posted regularly about the tobacco wars.

Kazem Hamad has up-ended Melbourne’s underworld in the past year. Picture: Supplied

The content creator names Hamad in a string of videos, and encourages users to vote on whether they back the Haddara or Hamad crime clans as the reigning tobacco bosses in Australia.

Meanwhile, other users have created several accounts that impersonate high-profile figures in Melbourne’s underworld, including Jesse Marrogi, the younger brother of convicted murderer and drug boss George Marrogi, and Hamad’s younger brother, Maytham Hamad.

In reference to the army of foot soldiers allegedly recruited to torch smoke shops on behalf of the Hamad syndicate, it says: “Kazzy, when you (sic) coming back to Melbourne to control your little ferrets?”

“Melbourne tobacco wars are only just heating up.”

His account also shows a text message purportedly sent by a body called the “Real Commission”, warning those aligned with Hamad of potentially violent consequences.

“Anyone working with Kaz or paying him will be met with heavy firepower or there (sic) businesses gone up in flames or getting shot as you have seen already happen to the ones paying him,” the message said.

“I can promise you it won’t be pretty.

“If we find out you can say goodbye to your business an (sic) your loved ones cause you won’t be here for long. Don’t say you haven’t been warned.”