By Lachlan Abbott and Chris Vedelago
Homicide detectives believe they have found a second getaway car related to the murder of Melbourne gangland figure Sam “The Punisher” Abdulrahim in Preston on Tuesday.
Detective Inspector Dean Thomas, the head of Victoria Police’s homicide squad, told Nova FM on Wednesday morning that police believed Abdulrahim’s killers had fled in a grey Ford Ranger ute after torching their initial getaway car in Reservoir.
A burnt out Ford Ranger than police believe was used as a getaway car in the Sam Abdulrahim shooting.Credit: Penny Stephens
“We know that Ford Ranger has made its way to Western Avenue in Westmeadows, where that was set alight,” Thomas said. “Now we’re working on the belief that that is involved, given the timing and location.”
Thomas said the grey Ford Ranger had a canopy with a distinctive sticker of bullhorns on its rear window. Anyone who saw it in the 24 hours leading up to Abdulrahim’s death is urged to contact police.
Abdulrahim, the Melbourne underworld’s most-hunted man, was shot dead by an organised hit team of up to four assailants in the car park of the Quest hotel on High Street in Preston just after 10.30am on Tuesday.
That afternoon, police said they believed the hit team fled in a white car. A white Porsche Macan SUV was later found ablaze, less than two kilometres away at the end of Alexandra Street – off Northernhay Street – in Reservoir.
On Wednesday morning, Thomas described the shooting as “brazen”, but assured Victorians there was little threat to the broader community.
“It wasn’t a random sort of shooting. This was very targeted at this particular individual,” he said.
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan, speaking on the same radio station later on Wednesday, said it was “a totally natural reaction” for some people to fear accidentally getting caught up in such a public killing, but emphasised the police advice that it was a targeted attack.
“It’s horrifying scenes. It must have been very distressing for the local community,” she said.
“[But] take the VicPol advice: They’re saying it’s targeted. They’re saying there’s no broader risk to the community. And we know that VicPol [have] got eyes on these groups. And they are throwing a lot of resources at this work.”
Abdulrahim was an underworld figure-turned-boxer who lived under the shadow of death threats for years, recovering after being shot eight times in 2022 and avoiding a 17-bullet hail of gunfire in 2024.
A video, shared on social media on Tuesday and verified by The Age, shows Abdulrahim taunting his underworld nemesis Kazem “Kaz” Hamad on a video call after he survived the 2022 shooting at his cousin’s funeral in Fawkner.
“Hey, I’m still alive. Eight shots later and I’m still alive,” Abdulrahim tells Hamad, an underworld kingpin who has waged a bloody war for control of Victoria’s illicit tobacco trade after he was deported to the Middle East in mid-2023.
Hamad replies: “You’re lucky.”
Earlier in the conversation, Abdulrahim laughs after telling Hamad: “Give me some money. I’ll let you open up in Melbourne.”
He then suggests he could protect something for Hamad, to which a third person, who cannot be seen on the video, says: “You can’t protect yourself, my brother. Relax.”
Abdulrahim retorts: “I can protect myself. None of your boys are anywhere to be seen down here.”
It is unclear when the conversation occurred.
There have been at least 18 attacks against Abdulrahim, or directed at him by firebombing or shooting his friends and associates, since 2017. He had recently gone “underground” to escape a $1 million murder contract on his head.
His road to becoming a marked man started in 2016, when he backed the wrong side as mini-wars between rival crews erupted into regular shootings.
He also quickly fell out with the friends he did have. Notorious underworld figure Nabil Maghnie dropped Abdulrahim after he supposedly failed to adequately back him up during a brawl inside Crown casino.
He also fell out with Comanchero bikie friends, and later joined the Mongols Motorcycle Club.
Then came the murder of Kadir “KD” Ors, the best friend and member of a rising crew run by Kazem Hamad. Ors was shot dead in an ambush in Campbellfield by rival drug trafficker George Marrogi, and some believed Abdulrahim had helped lure Ors to the scene.
Hamad started a campaign against Abdulrahim, but any protection from the Mongols was brief. The boxer was booted from the club after just six months, over concerns he was bringing too much heat to their door.
Hamad was a particularly dangerous enemy as he rose to the top of Melbourne’s underworld with a brazen wave of violence in Victoria’s tobacco war.
Anyone who witnessed the shooting or with any information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or visit www.crimestoppersvic.com.au
With Sherryn Groch
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