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A dispute at a party in Bali allegedly erupted into a spree of home invasions, arson attacks and shootings in Melbourne that left a 17-year-old blowing smoke and leaking water through a bullet hole in his neck.
The details of the dispute were aired at a bail hearing on Thursday for Ahmad Taha and Waile Omer, two alleged “foot soldiers” linked to tobacco kingpin Kazem “Kaz” Hamad.
The two 18-year-olds, and a 17-year-old who cannot be named, were arrested on Wednesday following seven targeted home invasions, arsons, attempted arsons and firearm incidents since early January, which allegedly related to an apparent personal dispute that quickly spun out of control. Two other men were arrested as part of the operation, but have since been released without charge.
It began on a flight to Bali on December 29, when a group of young men from Melbourne met a woman on the plane who invited them to a party on the popular holiday island.
“Whilst they were at that party, they’ve come into a dispute with a male there who is friends with the female,” Detective Senior Constable Ed Roberts, of the gang crime squad, testified during a hearing in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court. “It’s unsure exactly what the dispute was over, but the woman’s partner – Ali Ramos – took offence to the dispute.”
The court later heard that Ramos was an organised crime figure involved with the Hamad syndicate. He remains overseas and has not been charged.
“[Ramos] essentially informed the males that they have to pay an extortion fee of $250,000 recompense for the offence caused to him,” Roberts said. “And if they don’t pay, they will be targeted on their return to Melbourne.
“The group of males returned to Melbourne and, essentially, one by one they have been targeted via his connections back in Victoria.”
The attacks allegedly began one day after the men returned to Melbourne, with an aggravated home invasion in Caroline Springs involving a bat and a machete.
No one was home because they had already fled to an undisclosed location for their safety.
But when police arrived, they captured a conversation between the intended victim and someone believed to be Ramos on a WhatsApp call.
According to police, “[Ramos] said: Why did you move your family out? I would have told the boys to cut his head off. I said: make a video. Cut his fingers off.”
Two days later, a home in Taylors Hill was almost set alight in a firebombing attack. That same day, shots were fired into the Caroline Springs home.
The next evening, a firebombing destroyed the Taylors Hill home.
Then came a violent home invasion in Thornhill Park, where a bedroom door was broken, and a handgun was shoved through the gap.
A strike-back after this spree allegedly came on January 12, when Triple Zero received reports of a man knocking on doors in Burnside Heights asking for help after being shot in the neck.
A victim of the arson was staying with a friend on the street, who was also one of the men from Bali, when a car showed up with men “wearing dark-coloured clothing, hoods and masks” and carrying a jerry can.
What happened next is still unclear.
Police began searching the area and found a bag with a firearm with a silencer and rounds of ammunition.
A 17-year-old male was found after an attempted foot chase.
“[He] was uncooperative to a certain extent,” Roberts said. “It was obvious he was in a state of shock having a bullet going into his neck and lodged in his vertebra. It was remarkable he was even able to walk.
“Police requested an ambulance, who attended and inspected the wound to his neck and deemed it to be superficial and consequently cleared the scene.
“Shortly after [he] was having a cigarette and police could hear a whistling noise in his neck. He was given some water and water began to dribble out of the hole in his throat.”
The 17-year-old was taken to the Royal Melbourne Hospital. He was later charged and appeared in the Children’s Court.
About a fortnight later, masked men approached a home in Hillside. Inside was another man who was in the group that went to Bali.
After no one answered the door, a gas cylinder was thrown at a car in the driveway. Two offenders allegedly opened fire when a man began looking out of the house, shooting 11 times, including into a neighbour’s home.
The accused were arrested and charged on Wednesday.
Roberts said Taha was placed in a cell with a covert operative, where he made admissions about the arson, attempted arson and home invasion, and that he “works for some pretty bad dudes”.
Roberts said that Omer separately made admissions to police about participating in the alleged extortion of several tobacconists in Melbourne, in which handwritten notes telling the owners to ring an overseas number were handed out.
“The offenders in these incidents are essentially foot soldiers for the Hamad serious organised crime syndicate,” Roberts said.
“The one in Bali [Ramos], we believe, is part of the organised crime syndicate. They have serious access to capital, funds from illicit tobacco, and access to firearms.
“We have serious concerns for continuing attacks given he is offshore, to continue this pattern of violence against the victims. We do believe he is not going to stop.”
Roberts said investigations were ongoing, and he expected further charges to be laid.
A decision on the pair’s application for bail will be made next week.
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