Sam Abdulrahim’s suspected shooters understood to have fled Australia on fake passports

Law enforcement officers have revealed new details about the men linked to Melbourne gangland figure Sam Abdulrahim’s shooting.

The amateur shooters who fled Australia after a failed hit on Melbourne gangland figure Sam Abdulrahim are suspected to have moved on from Dubai.

An international manhunt is underway for the two suspects, and it is understood to be young men from Melbourne’s north, who fled the country within 48 hours of the attack.

It is also understood the suspects have headed out of the Middle East after reports they had travelled there were made public earlier this week.

Law enforcement sources have claimed the pair may have used false, or fake passports, to skip Australia.

Fake passports are available for as little as $1000 on the darkweb, however, better quality documents can cost up to $14,000.

It was likely that they may have used the passport of a relative who looks like them, sources say, rather than a counterfeit passport because they had left in such a hurry.

Sam ‘The Punisher’ Abdulramin. Picture: Instagram

The shooters panicked after the attempt on Abdulrahim’s life in June, crashing their car into a fire hydrant on Sydney Road before one of them hid out in a KFC bin, which was captured on CCTV.

Police have arrested seven people so far over the shooting, which happened following a funeral in Fawkner.

Armed Crime Squad detectives’ CCTV of a man linked to their investigation into the non-fatal shooting of a Sam Abdulrahim in Fawkner in June. Picture: VicPol

Another CCTV image of a man linked to the investigation. Picture: VicPol

A 57-year-old Epping woman, believed to be an older relative of one of the suspects, was arrested on Friday over allegations of helping get him out of the country.

The six others who were arrested were aged between 18 and 24, with fears the attack was outsourced to inexperienced criminals.

Ex-Mongols bikie Sam ‘The Punisher’ Abdulrahim in hospital after he was dramatically shot at a funeral. Picture: Supplied

Yasir Al Qassim, 18, of Epping was arrested and subsequently charged with attempted murder. He faced Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Friday but did not apply for bail. An 18-year-old Lalor man, 20-year-old Meadow Heights woman, 24-year-old Meadow Heights man, 20-year-old Docklands man and a 19-year-old Greenvale man were also arrested over the June 25 bungled hit but were released pending further enquires.

It was expected police would be targeting overseas relatives of the suspects who may be trying to hide them from authorities.

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Police sources have refused to reveal the current location of the suspects, however they are working with international agencies to track them down.

Turkey has become a hotspot for Australian underworld figures, with former Sydney criminal Hakan Ayik, and Melbourne Comanchero Hasan Topal, hiding out there.

Hasan Topal, who is tied to the Comanchero.

Mark Buddle, 37, who is facing charges.

Mark Buddle, the head of the Comanchero bikie gang, was extradited to Australia from Turkey in August over the importation of $40 million worth of drugs into Melbourne.

He had been setting up a life in northern Cyprus, a Turkish territory, before he was arrested and sent back.

However, Greece has also been a popular criminal destination, with slain Sydney underworld figure John Macris moving there before his murder in Athens.

It is not suggested that those figures were involved in the attempted hit on Abdulrahim.

The AFP said it was concerned about the prevalence of fake passports.

“The AFP is aware of individuals purporting to sell and purchase false identity documents,” the agency said in a statement.

“The AFP works collaboratively with its Commonwealth partners to combat identity fraud.

“Possible criminal offences can include conspiracy to defraud the Commonwealth, dealing with identification information, forgery (making a false document) and possession of a false document. The maximum penalty individuals could face is up 10 years’ imprisonment.”

Victoria Police declined to comment.

Originally published as Sam Abdulrahim’s suspected shooters understood to have fled Australia on fake passports