Vandals desecrate grave of Meshlin Marrogi, sister of gangland figure George Marrogi

Vandals have broken into a mausoleum and smashed open the coffin of Meshlin Marrogi, the sister of gangland boss George Marrogi.

Police regarded Meshlin Marrogi as a key to the rise of her brother George’s Notorious Crime Family empire.

Police will investigate whether the desecration of Meshlin Marrogi’s grave was a strike at her brother, crime gang boss ­George Marrogi.

Vandals broke into a mausoleum at the Preston General Cemetery and singled out the final resting place of Ms Marrogi, who died in 2021 at age 30.

If directed intentionally at Ms Marrogi’s grave, the attack would be highly provocative during a period of instability in Melbourne’s world of Middle Eastern organised crime.

The mausoleum was desecrated with items inside smashed, while Ms Marrogi’s coffin was dragged a short ­distance before it, too, was smashed open and ­abandoned.

Police at Preston Cemetery investigating the vandal attack. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Meshlin Marrogi (right) with George Marrogi’s partner, Antonietta Mannella. Picture: Instagram

Mourners could be heard crying within a cordoned-off section of the mausoleum on Monday morning.

A young woman was first seen entering the cemetery just after 10am in a luxury ­vehicle, rushing straight to the eastern wing of the building.

Minutes later another woman arrived in a black Mercedes. The women embraced behind the barricades.

Their cries and tears echoed through the mausoleum.

The mausoleum at Preston Cemetery. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Broken glass under a window at the mausoleum. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

One of the women was Ms Marrogi’s mother Madlin ­Enwiya, who said she regularly visited her daughter’s grave, sometimes more than once a day.

A distressed loved one said what happened was “sick”, urging police to act swiftly.

A Victoria Police public order response team vehicle was at the cemetery for most of the day.

Meshlin was a much-loved figure in her family and among allies of the Marrogi family.

Police regarded her as a key to the rise of her brother’s Notorious Crime Family empire.

Investigators say her personality and talent in business allowed NCF – started ostensibly as a fundraiser for children in the family’s Syrian village of origin – to diversify into a vast array of business interests.

George Marrogi is alleged to have imported more than $1bn worth of drugs while in jail doing a 32-year stretch for the 2016 murder of Kadir Ors at Campbellfield.

George Marrogi is serving a long prison sentence.

Police on the scene at the Preston cemetery. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Meshlin set up much of the network of businesses that were vehicles for laundering NCF profits, police say.

George Marrogi’s power had grown enormously until April last year when the Australian Federal Police and Victoria Police started to dismantle his operation.

It is unclear whether that has been a factor in a recent period of turbulence in the Middle Eastern organised crime scene.

Conflict has simmered in recent months, some of it involving figures previously opposed to or aligned with Marrogi.

There have been a series of connected firebombings on businesses and homes related to Middle Eastern organised crime figures in recent months.

A wave of arson attacks had been carried out on tobacco stores in the period before the spate of torchings.

But police hoped the arrests of two men suspected of links to the firebombing friction would defuse the situation.

They were detained over a roadside confrontation in Melbourne’s western suburbs earlier in the month.

Police are keen to stem the non-fatal and property ­attacks before things escalate.

On Monday afternoon, two men arrived at the cemetery in a black Mercedes-Benz with tinted windows. The pair walked into the mausoleum for about 20 minutes before returning to their vehicle.

When asked by the Herald Sun if they knew who was ­behind the grave ­attack, one said: “Sorry, I can’t help you.”

A cleaner said the grave had been repaired. He had to clean up dust near the marble gravestone inside the mausoleum.

The walls of the mausoleum were covered in marble, and with plaques attached to identify the graves.

There was a broken window on the ground floor of the mausoleum, which had been repaired on Monday morning.

That area had no CCTV cameras and was the closest route to Ms Marrogi’s grave.

A Victoria Police statement said: “Police are investigating damage to a grave at Preston General Cemetery in Bundoora overnight on July 30. It’s ­believed unknown offender/s have broken into the mausoleum and damaged the coffin.”

A forensic examination has been made of the mausoleum and it is expected police will look for CCTV footage.

They have appealed for anyone with information to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or visit crimestoppersvic.com.au.