Five people, including a 16-year-old male, have been arrested over Melbourne arson attacks
Five people have been arrested, including a 16-year-old boy, following another spate of arson attacks across Melbourne. Police say young gang members are being drawn into the battle for control of the state’s illegal Tabacco trade.
Transcript
00:00 Attack after attack after attack. Five alleged arsonists with links to the Finks motorcycle
00:07 gang were taken into custody on Friday after six attacks in less than a month. Police say
00:14 bikey gangs are going up against organised crime syndicates in a battle for control of
00:19 the illegal tobacco trade.
00:21 There is, without underselling it, still a significant conflict between multiple different
00:26 groups over a control of a significant source of income.
00:30 The attacks began on Christmas Day with a tobacco shop in Mowi set alight, followed
00:35 by a blaze in Croydon. Then this week a cafe in Altona North with alleged links to the
00:40 tobacco trade was the target, followed by a tobacco shop in Altona. The next night an
00:45 attack in Sunshine before the Altona shop was hit a second time.
00:49 Young women who were just minding their own business eating some takeaway food at the
00:53 reserve were approached by what we believe are two young male Caucasian males who were
00:59 armed with machetes.
01:01 One of the alleged offenders was a 16-year-old boy.
01:04 It's a highly concerning situation because some of them don't necessarily understand
01:09 the significance of what they're doing.
01:11 The attacks are just the latest in a months-long underground war over illegal tobacco. Police
01:16 now dealing with 28 active arson investigations. It's a slow process with alleged offenders
01:22 and many shop owners tight-lipped.
01:25 They all operate with a similar sort of criminal code and that is one of silence.
01:29 Police say they've turned a corner with the arrests this week, but they say it could take
01:33 months before the battle is brought to an end.
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