Victoria Police have arrested a 20-year-old man they allege orchestrated a series of arson attacks on Melbourne hospitality venues on behalf of a Middle East-based crime syndicate. Detectives say the arrest marks the most significant breakthrough in Operation Eclipse, an investigation launched after a spate of firebombings targeting tobacco stores and licensed venues.
Detective Inspector Graham Banks said the man, identified as Jesse Hadchiti, was a high-ranking member of a syndicate led by Kazem 'Kaz' Hamad, who was deported to Iraq last year. Banks described the offences as 'crime as a service', involving tasks such as kidnapping, home invasion and arson, directed by offshore members.
Hadchiti was arrested on Tuesday in Melbourne's north-west and faces charges including aggravated home invasion, kidnapping, extortion with threats to kill, false imprisonment, attempting to commit arson, and three counts of recruiting a child to engage in criminal activity. Police allege he used encrypted apps to task offenders for various jobs, including a mistaken-identity kidnapping in Malvern on 14 April.
The investigation has revealed a pattern of recruiting teenagers, often with no prior criminal history, to carry out firebombings for payments as low as $1,000. Police say the use of young foot soldiers via encrypted apps is a growing global trend in organised crime.
