Police have today executed 12 warrants and arrested three people as part of the investigation into the fatal shooting of Paul Virgona in Donvale last year and the ongoing activities of the Mongols Outlaw Motor Cycle Gang.
The warrants were executed from 5am this morning by police from a number of units including the Homicide Squad, Echo Taskforce, Crime Command, Special Operations Group, Operations Response Unit, and Eastern, Southern Metro and North West Metro Regions.
Police raided residential and commercial properties, as well as Mongols OMCG clubhouses in the following suburbs:
• Montrose
• Kilsyth
• Lilydale
• Tecoma
• Wantirna South
• South Melbourne (commercial)
• Port Melbourne (commercial)
• Southbank
• Noble Park
• Croydon
• Ferntree Gully (clubhouse)
• Port Melbourne (clubhouse)
A 35-year-old Kilsyth man was arrested in Kilsyth and will now be interviewed by the Homicide Squad in relation to the fatal shooting on 9 November, 2019.
A 29-year-old Port Melbourne man was arrested in Port Melbourne and will also be interviewed by Homicide Squad detectives in relation to the fatal shooting.
A 30-year-old Montrose man was arrested in Kilsyth and will now be interviewed by detectives from the Echo Taskforce in relation to drug offences.
Searches of the properties will be ongoing through the day, however police have already seized a number of firearms and what appears to be a quantity of drugs.
Croydon man Paul Virgona was fatally shot in his vehicle whilst driving along Eastlink in Donvale on the morning of 9 November, 2019.
The 46-year-old, who was the sole occupant of the vehicle, was located deceased inside the van with gunshot wounds.
Since that time, a Homicide Squad investigation has focused on a Mercedes which followed Paul from his property and was then set alight in Mooroolbark, as well as two men seen leaving a Volkswagen Amarok ute near Bayswater parkland.
Police were able to establish links between two people of interest in relation to the shooting and the Mongols OMCG, which led to the Echo Taskforce joining the investigation.
Crime Command Assistant Commissioner Tess Walsh said that today’s arrests and warrants were the result of months of hard work by the Echo Taskforce, Homicide Squad and other units across Victoria Police.
“We understand that any time there is an incident involving illicit firearms, particularly one that results in someone being killed in this way, there is enormous concern in the community,” she said.
“Today’s activities should send a strong message, especially to those involved in this type of criminal activity, that it’s absolutely not acceptable and Victoria Police is committed to tracking down and targeting those people willing to commit these offences.
“We know these groups have long histories of engaging in criminal activity, particularly with regards to the use of illicit firearms, and there is immense potential to endanger innocent members of the public.
“Victoria Police is not intimidated by OMCGs and we will not allow our communities to be.”
The investigations remain ongoing and anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or make a confidential report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au
