Police say they have arrested a high-ranking member of an organised crime syndicate behind multiple violent crimes at Melbourne hospitality venues.
Detectives from the Armed Crime Squad allege a 20-year-old Essendon man tasked offenders to commit home invasions, arsons and kidnappings across the city over the course of several months.
Investigators believe the man was directed to do so by other members of an organised criminal syndicate known as The Commission.
The group, led by alleged tobacco kingpin Kaz Hamad before his arrest in Iraq, is believed to be behind much of the violence on Melbourne’s streets in recent years.
Man accused of pulling the strings
The 20-year-old arrested today is alleged to have controlled Melbourne’s underworld activity from his phone, using encrypted messaging apps to task prospective criminals with carrying out attacks.
According to police, the man described himself as an “ordinary kid who goes to the gym and runs an empire from his home” and was still living at home with his family at the time of his arrest.
Detective Inspector Graham Banks said the man used the online handle “Commbank” on the messaging platforms.
“Intelligence suggests he came up with this handle based on the amount of wealth he was generating for the organisation,” Inspector Banks said.
The man allegedly boasted of having more than 2,000 potential offenders at his disposal to commit crimes.
“We personally believe that’s an elevated number, but it’s well within the realms of possibility that it is literally hundreds,” Inspector Banks said.
The man is accused of using encrypted messaging apps to recruit and task people with committing crimes. (Jan Persiel/Flickr CC BY-SA 2.0)
He said the 20-year-old was believed to have links to gangs in Victoria, which he allegedly used to recruit people for crimes.
The man was arrested in connection with several crimes today, which police believe were just the “tip of the iceberg” of what the syndicate was responsible for.
These crimes include a mistaken-identity kidnapping on April 14 in Malvern. Investigators say four people assaulted a man at the wrong address and forced him into a vehicle before later dropping him off at a hospital.
The same man is also accused of organising an attempted aggravated home invasion two weeks later in Doncaster, which was prevented by nearby police officers.
He is also suspected to be linked to an attempted arson on a licensed premises in Southbank on April 27, which was also foiled by police patrols.
Victoria Police launched Operation Eclipse that day in an effort to target the organised crime syndicates behind dozens of attacks in nightlife districts.
Last week the scope of operation was expanded to include crimes linked to The Commission.
Middle East presents barrier to tackling crime syndicate
The 20-year-old man is believed by police to have been acting on behalf of another member of The Commission based in the Middle East.
Police allege he was in direct contact with a 23-year-old who masterminded attacks in Victoria.
The 23-year-old has a warrant for their arrest and has been linked to the attempted murder of gangland figure Sam Abdulrahim.
Underworld figure Sam Abdulrahim was shot dead in 2025 following a feud with tobacco kingpin Kaz Hamad. (AAP: Diego Fedele)
Overseas laws, including the threat of the death penalty, have complicated the capture and extradition of the alleged criminals.
Inspector Banks said Victoria Police had not sent a warrant for the arrest of the 23-year-old, or shared information, due to fears he was would put to death as a result.
“We refrain from engaging because there might be a similar sort of action offshore to people who are killing people in Victoria, sending shiploads of drugs into it, and the consequence of that is many, many people do die,” he said.
“We frame that policy around things like the Bali Nine and no-one proposes that should change.
“But when you’ve got serious actors doing this, I think there should be a free flow of information.”
As a result, Inspector Banks said, the syndicate members currently felt they could act with impunity.
“They look at the Middle East as a safe haven, a completely safe haven,” he said.
Arrest a major breakthrough, police say
Today’s arrest is the first arrest of a significant “tasker” — a person who tasks people with committing crimes — in three years.
Inspector Banks said it was the most consequential arrest since Operation Eclipse began, but warned the crime syndicate could be rapidly expanding its ambitions.
The Commission has long sought to control the cocaine market in Victoria, driving the price down.
A note allegedly written by The Commission was posted in front of a Richmond business days before it was ram-raided last month. (Supplied)
Detective Inspector Banks said their business had now expanded from illicit drugs to illicit tobacco and now was targeting legitimate businesses.
“They’re into every single thing you can think of and then they try think of something else,” he said.
“Where that ends, I don’t know.”
Victoria Police said patrols would be increased throughout Melbourne’s entertainment precincts in a bid to stamp out the attacks.
Anyone with any information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online.