Bass Coast tobacconist threatened by man allegedly linked to Kazem Hamad

The owner of an unopened Bass Coast tobacconist has allegedly been told he will be shot and his business firebombed by an attacker allegedly linked to underworld figure Kazem Hamad.

The owner of a regional tobacco store has allegedly been told that he will be shot and his business firebombed if he does not abide by the gangland rules enforced by a rival.

Lunar task force detectives have accused a man, understood to be working for offshore enforcer Kazem Hamad, of extorting the unopened tobacconist on the Bass Coast three times.

Mohammed Haddara, 52, who owns a separate tobacco shop on the same road, is accused of standing over workers of the unopened store on June 12, June 16 and July 1.

He allegedly told them that if the new Bass Coast store opens, the owner would be shot.

He also allegedly told them that the store would then be firebombed, as is the case with the 135-plus stores that have been subject to arson attacks.

Mr Haddara is believed to have been paying the extortion fee that prevents his nearby store from being blown up.

Police also say the owner of the unopened store received a call from an international number via WhatsApp, believed to be Hamad, on July 5.

Kazem Hamad. Picture: Supplied

Herald Sun has been told Mr Haddara was allegedly working in a “collegiate” fashion with Hamad in dealing with the opposition store.

It will be alleged that Mr Haddara has previously been paying Hamad protection money.

It is unclear whether Mr Haddara is linked to the family syndicate of the same name which had been until recent years the dominant player in Victoria’s illicit tobacco market.

The same threats of a shooting and arson attack were allegedly made over that phone call.

Hamad and his crew have previously been suspected of extorting a number of rival syndicates via phone calls made from overseas.

Detectives on Tuesday raided two homes and a tobacconist at Tarneit and on the Bass Coast.

More than 6500 vapes, 255,000 illicit smokes and $14,000 in cash was allegedly seized.

Mr Haddara, of Tarneit, was hit with a wave of extortion charges but was bailed with “strict conditions” to appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on July 22.

Victoria’s tobacco licensing scheme will see just 14 officers working to enforce strict conditions on the 1200-plus stores across the state.

But they won’t have the power to shut down stores and it won’t come into effect until February next year.

Originally published as Bass Coast tobacconist threatened by man allegedly linked to Kazem Hamad