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An arsonist who left his mate for dead after he was engulfed in flames at a tobacco shop in Melbourne’s west is being hunted by detectives as the city’s wave of firebombings threaten to claim their third life.
Arson Squad Detective Inspector Chris Murray vowed to hold the fugitive responsible if his 23-year-old co-offender dies, hitting out at youth offenders who are “ruining lives” by carrying out violent attacks ordered by organised crime syndicates.
The two men both caught fire after ramming and setting alight the Boss Tobacco shop in Melton about 2.50am on Thursday. Police suspect it was a paid attack ordered online by an unknown crime syndicate.
CCTV footage shows a white ute smashing through the shop’s roller door, before two hooded figures jump out carrying jerry cans into the premises. Soon after entering, a fireball blows the shopfront open.
The 23-year-old can be seen engulfed in flames rolling along the road to try and put them out. But instead of helping, his fellow arsonist walks away, with fire on the sleeve of his top.
A witness told 3AW she heard a loud bang and saw a young man on the ground pulling off his pants and screaming in agony.
“Over 50 per cent, I’d say, of his body is burnt,” the woman said. “No skin left on his legs, on his hands.”
Murray said two men attempted to flee the crime scene by jumping into a getaway car while the 23-year-old was still on fire.
“They attempted to take off, but this individual – the individual who is currently in hospital – whose life is in critical condition, has fallen out of the vehicle,” Murray said.
“His mate – his so-called mate – took off.”
The young man was found lying on the ground nearby by a Good Samaritan and flown to The Alfred hospital where he is fighting for life.
Murray urged the second man, who is believed to have significant burns to his hands and feet, to hand himself in to police “before we arrest you on our terms, not yours”.
“This individual will have life-changing injuries. His mate, when we catch him, will be charged with the offending that comes with [this crime],” he said.
The detective said the force intended to hold the fugitive “personally accountable” for his co-accused injuries. “And hopefully not his death,” he said.
The pair’s white ute was later found alight on the Western Highway in Hopetoun Park. Police say the fugitive hitchhiked to Bacchus Marsh, with the driver now assisting police.
Detectives are also searching for a silver single-cab ute, which was seen in the vicinity and was in convoy with the ute that rammed the tobacco shop.
A local shop owner, who this masthead has chosen not to name for safety reasons, said the torched shop, The Boss, was a popular tobacconist in the area.
The woman said she had recently seen a man surveilling the shop from his car on several occasions.
Murray said it was “hard to say” whether the arson was connected to a recent spate of attacks linked to crime boss Fadi Haddara, who was gunned down in his Altona North home’s driveway last month.
Police are investigating whether that shooting, as well as two others targeting Haddara’s associates, are linked to his crime network’s alleged involvement in a multimillion-dollar tobacco and money-laundering operation in Tasmania.
Murray said he was “sick and tired” of the “madness” and hoped the latest incident would make youth offenders think twice about putting their hands up for ordered attacks.
“I just find it incredible that these youths are putting their hand up to do these jobs. They’re ruining lives. They’re ruining families’ lives.
“We talk about the crime-task business model, where [young males] they’re tasked to carry out a job on behalf of someone they wouldn’t know,” he said.
“We’ve had death, we’ve had serious injuries. It’s just madness. They’ve got no idea what they’re doing. None whatsoever.”
Melbourne’s tobacco wars have already claimed two lives
In March, a 52-year-old man died after he sustained significant burns after carrying out an arson attack on a Chapel Street juice bar in January 2025. Police now allege that fire was an insurance fraud.
Burlesque performer Katie Tangey, 27 – described by police as completely innocent – died in February 2025 after she became trapped in a burning home that was mistakenly firebombed by arsonists.
“Those responsible for Katie’s death know they targeted the wrong house, and they have to live with the knowledge that they are responsible for the horrific death of a completely innocent young woman,” Murray said at the time.
The Melton tobacco store attack is the latest in a string of firebombings of shops and licensed venues across Melbourne carried out by The Commission, the organised crime gang founded by tobacco kingpin Kazem “Kaz” Hamad.
The nationwide syndicate, also known as the 313s, is now under the control of 23-year-old Ali al-Huseini from Iraq.
Under Huseini’s reign the 313s have deployed increasingly violent tactics to enforce their tobacco and extortion strongholds. Last month, The Commission ordered the kidnapping and assault of a family member of a tobacco store owner who refused to turn over control of his shop.
It is believed to be the first time a kidnapping targeting a civilian has been used as a weapon of intimidation in the so-called tobacco war.
Huseini is also suspected by police of orchestrating Melbourne’s so-called bar wars – a ruthless extortion campaign targeting inner-Melbourne nightlife venues where kidnappings and home invasions became a terrifying feature of the violence.
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Carla Jaeger is a journalist for The Age. Got a tip? Email carla.jaeger@theage.com.au or message carlajaeger.62 on Signal.Connect via X or email.From our partners
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