Detectives from Taskforce Lunar have this afternoon charged a man following a number of extortions of a tobacco store located in Melbourne’s northern suburbs.
With assistance from the Australian Federal Police, a warrant was executed at a residential address in Hadfield this afternoon.
A 28-year-old Hadfield man was interviewed by police and has since been charged with two counts of extortion, theft of motor vehicle and associated false document offences.
He is expected to appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court this afternoon.
Investigators seized fraudulent identification, a stolen driver’s licence, cloned registration plates, what is believed to be a stolen Mercedes Benz and multiple bags containing what appear to be MDMA and cannabis, as well as well what appears to be GHB.
The charges follow two incidents earlier this year where police will allege owners of a tobacco store in the northern suburbs were threatened on separate occasions.
During both incidents – which occurred on Monday, 1 January and Friday, 2 February – it is believed a man entered the store, before telling the staff inside there was someone on the phone who needed to speak with them.
Nobody was physically injured during the incidents.
The investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with information on organised crime linked to illicit tobacco is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au
Quotes attributable to Detective Acting Inspector Andrew Foot, Taskforce Lunar:
“The assistance we receive from the community is crucial in bringing a stop to this and again, I want to appeal to those who work in this industry or who have a business near tobacco stores to come forward and provide police with any information they have.
“If there are shop owners out there who have been approached to pay sums of money or who have been threatened in any way, then we urge you to contact police.
“The arson attacks in particular put not only people’s livelihoods at stake but also people’s lives. We are doing everything we can to bring this dispute and the criminality linked to it to an end, however we need your support and assistance.”
