Melbourne’s scourge of violence, aka ‘pub wars’, have escalated after a brief lull, with venue owners being sent extortion demands for cash to prevent being on the “list of destruction”.
The past few months have seen a rash of fire-bombings, drive-by shootings and attempted kidnapping aimed at nightlife venues across Melbourne, and recently multiple owners received threatening messages via WhatsApp demanding $10k a month to not get hit.
These messages contained stark content such as ‘Your payment … starts today. Hurry the fuck up’ and ‘We’re after you, your family, your business, your homes and souls’, and ‘We will hurt you in ways your brain can’t comprehend’. The senders warned they ‘won’t stop till we get what we want’ and that ‘nowhere is safe’.
It’s thought the messages are being sent by an Iraq-based gang known as ‘the Cartel’ that has strong connections with the organised crime outfit behind Melbourne’s tobacco wars.
Sources suggest people involved have found religion and might be raging against ‘vice’ venues such as pubs, bars, strip clubs and brothels, as the demands specify businesses will be removed from the “destruction” list upon proof of payment to the United Nations’ World Food Program.
Late April Victorian Police launched Operation Eclipse to investigate the attacks and the special unit is examining the new extortion demands to establish if they are authentic.
In the months since February there have reportedly been around 40 incidents involving arson, shots fired, a home invaded and an attempted kidnapping all linked to the pattern of attacks.
In April four teenagers broke into 80 Proof’s distribution centre in Keysborough, causing estimates of up to $4.5 million in damage and lost stock when they burned it to the ground.
South Melbourne’s The George Hotel got off more lightly when it was hit with a ‘Molotov cocktail’ that thankfully caused minimal damage, and earlier this month emergency services were called to a fire at La Di Da nightclub in the early hours of the morning.
A number of venues have been repeatedly targeted, including CBD club Bar Bambi, and the Albion Hotel, also set alight in April, and co-owner Dominic Porter recently assaulted at his home in Pakenham at 6am when two cars pulled up, rammed the electric gate and confronted him before firing a gunshot, as his wife and children slept inside. And The Emerson, which has resorted to using shipping containers to protect its entrance.
Others sustaining damage include The Osborne, Bar Up, Left Bank, Platform 1, and even dining venues, such as iconic Melbourne brasserie France-Soir and Almina Lebanese restaurant in Docklands, which was set on fire using an accelerant. Almina was also burned in 2023 during the tobacco turf wars.
Operation Eclipse has leapt into action, to date arresting over 50 suspects and laying over 140 charges – largely teenagers, thought to have been recruited and tasked by organised crime figures via the encrypted messaging app Signal to commit offences for money. Police say they were ordered to film the acts before being paid.
It’s reported the alleged young offenders have not been able to provide the identifies or motives of those hiring them, and authorities are limited in the powers combatting minors.
Four teenagers were apprehended over the 80 Proof Liquor fire. In court this week two pled guilty, one receiving only a 15-month youth supervision order the other a conviction and 12-month order, but no jail time for either and the other two effectively went free.
Victoria’s Allan government has made a priority of cracking down on youth crime, introducing the adult time for violent crime initiative in late 2025 – but arson is not on the list of eligible offences.
Separately, another teen was charged last week over the home attack on Porter, and two 18-year-olds from Tarneit have been remanded in custody this week, charged in relation to arsons and attempted fires earlier this month.
Danny Grant, owner of 80 Proof, says the blaze destroyed a multimillion-dollar building, business and livelihoods, and told the SMH he is “deeply concerned” by the outcomes of the sentencing, believing there “should be consequences that reflect the seriousness of the crime”.
Another anonymous nightclub owner who has experienced multiple attacks told The Herald he was disgusted by the court’s decision, suggesting “It’s getting to the point where we’ll have to deal with them”.
Michael Trimble, co-owner of Melbourne strip club Bar 20 – located opposite the recently torched La Di Da nightclub – is one of those who received a threatening message and told the ABC’s 7.30 “It’s definitely creating some anxiety … My staff are worried”.
The past couple of weeks have seen a reduction in the attacks, which had led to speculate if extorsion demands would not follow.
Police have been warning venues to increase their security, and the Victorian government has created a $10 million fund to assist, with another $5 million budgeted for providing police live CCTV feeds.
