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A crew of suspected Kaz Hamad gang associates has been swept up in arrests following a car and helicopter chase that saw two men in balaclavas flee a vehicle containing a handgun, taser, cable ties, jerry cans and small explosive devices.
An attempted police interception at 2:40am on Tuesday in Airport West appears to have interrupted a potential attack after the men sped off in a white Kia, before dumping it in Pascoe Vale and fleeing into nearby Raeburn Reserve.
Two Sydney men, aged 22 and 21, were eventually tracked down and arrested in the park, both still wearing balaclavas. The car was stolen and had cloned plates attached.
Several hours later, a woman walking her dog in Raeburn Reserve about 7.25am found a firearm and dropped it off at Fawkner police station.
The men have been charged with aggravated recklessness, dangerous driving, theft of a motor vehicle, possession of an unregistered handgun and going equipped to steal or cheat, among other offences.
It comes as police raids on Wednesday morning led to the arrest of six other men suspected of being associated with the Hamad syndicate, aged 24 to 48, and the seizure of three guns, ammunition, cocaine, cash and a detonator cord.
A cache of nearly 50 mobile phones, SIM cards and laptops was also recovered in the raids on three residential properties in Lalor and Airport West and two factories in Epping.
On Wednesday night, police said five of the men were being interviewed by police in relation to a range of drug and firearms offences.
The Gang Crime Squad said it was part of an investigation into an “organised crime syndicate with international links operating in Victoria”.
“You only need to consider the items seized by police as part of this investigation to understand how significant and how violent the offending perpetrated by this organised crime group is,” Detective Inspector Graham Banks said.
“Five firearms, other weapons and explosive devices that could have been used to wreak immense harm in our community, and based on the circumstances of yesterday’s arrests, almost certainly would have resulted in the loss of life.
“Investigations such as this highlight the significant criminality that these serious and organised crime groups are engaged in and the threat they pose to innocent members of the public.”
Last week, Melbourne gangland boss Kazem “Kaz” Hamad was arrested in Iraq. Hamad heads a powerful cartel that has dominated the illicit tobacco market and has been linked to dozens of firebombings, shootings and several murders.
Hamad’s crew are known as the 313s or Kaz’s boys.
“The proactive targeting of these groups by the Gang Crime Squad, Taskforce Lunar and Victoria Police more broadly remains the utmost priority, regardless of how circumstances may change either here in Victoria or off-shore,” Banks said.
Anyone with information about these incidents is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit an online confidential report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au
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