Add Category
An alleged key figure in Melbourne's tobacco wars enjoyed a life of luxury before his arrest, police say, and was frequenting high-end restaurants and spending tens of thousands of dollars on designer clothing.
In a Melbourne court on Thursday, police revealed they had secretly bugged the car of Majid Alibadi, which provided an insight into the inner-workings of the crime syndicate he is allegedly part of.
Police claim Mr Alibadi acted as a lieutenant for the syndicate's leader, Kazem "Kaz" Hamad, a convicted drug trafficker who was deported from Australia in 2023.
Despite currently living in Iraq, Hamad stands accused of orchestrating firebombings against Victorian tobacco shops and businesses controlled by rivals from the Haddara family.
Mr Alibadi, 25, allegedly took orders directly from Kaz Hamad and his brother Maytham Hamad to organise arson attacks, destroy getaway cars and intimidate witnesses.
Detective Leading Senior Constable Matthew Lindsay told the Melbourne Magistrates' Court much of the criminal activity was planned on encrypted messaging apps.
"Amusingly, one of them was a chat group called the Crime Family Group, in which Mr Alibadi was the administrator and Kaz Hamad was a member," he told the court.
Mr Alibadi, who was unemployed and living with his parents, was driving a $95,000 Mercedes Benz at the time of his arrest this year.
"He would frequent expensive restaurants. I believe Nobu was a favourite," Leading Senior Constable Lindsay said.
"On one occasion he spent $30,000 at Fendi … he was constantly being contacted by people at the stores that he had been visiting, asking him to come back."
Police also allege Maytham Hamad organised for $270,000 in cash to be delivered to Mr Alibadi's family home to cover his legal fees.
Alibadi charged with attacks on restaurants, tobacco shops
Leading Senior Constable Lindsay told the Melbourne Magistrates' Court there were "rising tensions" between the Hamad syndicate and the Haddara and Marrogi families for control of the illegal tobacco market.
Mr Alibadi is facing numerous charges, including causing $700,000 of damage to a Docklands restaurant owned by Fadi Haddara and $451,000 of damage to a Glenroy tobacconist belonging to Rabih Haddara.
"Investigators believe that the Hamad syndicate are significantly involved in extreme acts of violence, up to and including murder, the importation and distribution of illicit tobacco, extortions, attempts to extortions and arsons," Leading Senior Constable Lindsay said.
Last year, the crypt housing the body of Meshilin Marrogi, the late sister of crime kingpin George Marrogi, was desecrated by masked men. The police investigation into the shocking crime led officers to install secret listening devices in Mr Alibadi's car, the court was told.
In a separate incident, a group of men who carried out a botched home invasion at Donnybrook in January — during which one of the attackers was shot dead — allegedly called Mr Alibadi for advice on how to torch their getaway vehicle.
Police investigate rehab centre as Alibadi makes bid for freedom
On Thursday, Mr Alibadi lodged a bid for freedom as his case moves through the courts, with his lawyer Dermot Dann saying his client could stay at a live-in drug rehabilitation centre.
Mr Dann said his client's drug rehabilitation needs weren't being met at Barwon Prison, where he is subjected to lockdowns for 23 hours a day due to fears for his safety.
Police opposed the release of Mr Alibadi, arguing he was a danger to the community, could interfere with witnesses and had access to firearms.
"I don't believe that the preservation of life is high on his list of concerns," Leading Senior Constable Lindsay said.
Prosecutors also aired grievances about a previous instance when Mr Alibadi was released on bail, in which he was required to wear a tamper-resistant watch that provided GPS information to a rehab organisation called AFTR Melbourne.
Leading Senior Constable Lindsay told the court it was later discovered that Mr Alibadi had removed the watch — and that the device did not actually have the capability to track a person's location.
The officer said police had launched a perjury investigation into an AFTR staff member named David Miller, who gave evidence in court during a previous bail hearing for Mr Alibadi.
Mr Alibadi's bail application, before Magistrate Megan Casey, was ongoing on Thursday afternoon.