Key facts
- A 20-year-old man has been arrested in Melbourne.
- Police allege the man orchestrated a series of arson attacks.
- He is described as a high-ranking representative of an organised crime syndicate linked to an offshore leader.
- The suspect allegedly used encrypted applications to task offenders for crimes including kidnapping and home invasion.
- The arrest is a significant development in Operation Eclipse, targeting crime syndicates involved in hospitality-related offenses.
Police have arrested a 20-year-old man in Melbourne's north-west, alleging he orchestrated a series of arson attacks and is a "high-ranking" representative of an organised crime syndicate with offshore ties. The arrest marks a significant development in Operation Eclipse, an investigation targeting crime syndicates involved in offenses linked to the city's hospitality venues.
Detectives claim the man used encrypted applications to task offenders for various crimes, including a mistaken-identity kidnapping in Malvern on April 14 and an attempted aggravated home invasion in Doncaster on April 28. The victim of the kidnapping was reportedly assaulted and forced into a car, later being dropped at a hospital, with police believing he was not the intended target.
Detective Inspector Graham Banks described the arrest as the most consequential since the inception of Operation Eclipse, highlighting the alleged "crime as a service" methodology involving intimidation tactics. Police stated they will continue working with partner agencies to target the syndicates involved.