<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Police have arrested multiple people across </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/melbourne" rel="" target="_blank" title="Melbourne"><span>Melbourne</span></a><span> and seized guns, explosives, knives and tobacco linked to a Middle Eastern organised crime syndicate.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Eight people were then charged with extortion following the early-morning raids across homes and storage facilities in north Melbourne as part of Taskforce Lunar.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Police allege the charged men have been threatening tobacco store owners to cough up cash or their store would be burned down.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/four-day-work-week-greens-push-for-reduced-working-hours-in-australia-election-policy/1eb73daf-b407-48b7-999e-5c2ca74e1ba1" target="_blank"><strong><span>Election push for permanent four-day work week</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It is alleged the charged men have been visiting tobacco stores and instructing owners to call an international WhatsApp number.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Once the owner calls, a member of the syndicate will be on the other line and orders them to pay a monthly sum of money or they will burn down the store.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>If someone other than the owner calls the number, that store has been burnt down, police say.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/melbourne-news-police-charge-eight-people-with-extortion-over-tobacco-wars/769e8414-bc35-446e-b3c5-f5d285e79fd7" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Detectives seized four guns, including two high-powered firearms, a handgun and a shotgun, three cars, handwritten extortion notes, knives, GPS trackers, a large quantity of cash, 10kg of loose-lead tobacco and 6000 vapes.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The seized goods were found at properties across Broadmeadows, Donnybrook, Wollert, Epping, Essendon, Lalor, Taylors Hill, Airport West, Thornhill Park and Meadow Heights.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/australian-federal-police-operation-police-seize-millions-in-art-yacht-and-jewellery-crime-syndicate-bust/65ca2cec-31ba-4131-af17-90af2d47ab32" target="_blank"><strong><span>Police seize $800k yacht, Rolex watches and art in organised crime bust</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Storage facilities were also searched in Roxburgh Park and Coolaroo.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Eight people, aged between 16 and 26, were arrested and charged with extortion and bailed to appear at Melbourne Magistrates Court at a later date.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>One man, aged 26, is alleged to be a patched member of the Mongols bikie gang.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A further two men, aged 18 and 19 were charged with extortion and will appear in court today.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Another two men who were present during the raids, aged 22 and 41, were also arrested over unrelated offending.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We will allege that those we've arrested today have been carrying out extortions on behalf of a serious and organised crime figure who resides offshore," said Detective Inspector Graham Banks.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/voice-of-america-channels-fall-silent-as-trump-administration-guts-agency-and-cancels-contracts/6cd17295-b23c-4c03-a0e7-41f156ca1f63" target="_blank"><strong><span>Trump silences Voice of America, 1300 employees put on leave</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Victoria Police has been crystal clear that we will target all of those involved at absolutely every level of this criminality – be it a syndicate leader, a facilitator or the foot soldiers carrying out the arson attacks and extortions.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"There is a total lack of care and respect for life and the community, and we will relentlessly keep working our way up until we get all the way to the top of these organised crime groups."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The investigation remains ongoing.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Anyone with information is urged to contact police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. 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