Quick Read
- A 49-year-old man was wounded in a targeted shooting outside an Altona North café on Tuesday night.
- Victoria Police linked the attack to the state’s violent, ongoing illicit tobacco turf war.
- The getaway vehicle was found torched shortly after the incident as part of a wider pattern of criminal intimidation.
ALTONA NORTH (Azat TV) – A 49-year-old man remains in the hospital after being shot twice in the arm during a brazen attack outside a café in Altona North late Tuesday night. The incident, which occurred at approximately 11:30 PM at the Borrack Square shopping precinct, has been officially linked by Victoria Police to the state’s escalating illicit tobacco trade.
Tobacco trade conflict fuels suburban violence
The shooting took place as a group of about a dozen people were socializing outside the premises. According to witnesses and security footage, a white Toyota Hilux approached the crowd, at which point an occupant opened fire. Three shots were discharged, with two striking the victim and the third lodging in a nearby parked vehicle. Detective Inspector Graham Banks of the Gang Crime Squad described the act as indiscriminate, noting that the assailants appeared to be acting on a contract with little regard for the safety of bystanders.
Investigation into the getaway vehicle
Police are currently reviewing CCTV footage to track the movements of the suspects, who fled the scene immediately following the shooting. The getaway vehicle, a white Toyota Hilux stolen from a Newport residence in February and fitted with cloned license plates, was discovered abandoned and ablaze at the intersection of McArthurs and Chambers roads approximately three hours later. Investigators are working to determine whether the 49-year-old victim was the primary target or if the shooting was intended as a random act of intimidation against the broader community associated with the venue.
Escalating stakes in Victoria’s illicit market
This attack marks a significant escalation in a series of violent incidents that have plagued Victoria since March 2023. With over 160 documented fires and numerous violent clashes linked to competing criminal syndicates, the illicit tobacco trade continues to challenge law enforcement efforts. The Gang Crime Squad has conducted over 350 raids and secured more than 200 arrests in recent months, yet the frequency of such public displays of violence suggests that the conflict remains highly volatile. Authorities are urging anyone with information regarding the incident or the suspects to contact Crime Stoppers.
The brazen nature of this attack in a public space indicates that criminal syndicates are increasingly willing to bypass traditional constraints of secrecy in favor of open intimidation, signaling a dangerous shift in the tactics used to enforce control over the illicit tobacco market.