Key Figure in Melbourne Tobacco Wars Sentenced to at Least Three Years in Prison

Majid Alibadi helped organize fires and car thefts for the syndicate of jailed tobacco figure Kazem Hamad. On Wednesday, a Victorian County Court judge sentenced him to a maximum of five and a half years in prison, with at least three years behind bars.

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brazen

Police charged Alibadi in late 2023 after detectives from Victoria's illicit tobacco task force linked him to incitement to commit arson and car theft. He pleaded guilty to orchestrating a fire at the Karizma restaurant in Docklands, owned by underworld figure Fadi Haddara. Prosecutors also linked him to a blaze at a reception centre in Tullamarine, estimating that the two fires caused almost $2 million in damage.

Court documents described Alibadi as an upper-level middleman for the Hamad gang and the administrator of an encrypted group chat with Hamad's brothers. Prosecutors said he arranged stolen vehicles, fake number plates, petrol-filled jerry cans and clothing for people assigned to torch venues around Melbourne. Police tracking devices and listening equipment placed him near the fires, prosecutors said.

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carefully planned

Investigators also captured Alibadi and Maytham Hamad laughing as they watched videos of arson attacks on venues connected to the Haddara family. On another occasion, Alibadi was heard saying, "Maytham doesn't want it [Karizma] to be open on Christmas."

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There can be no doubt this offending is extremely serious

Judge Duncan Allen called the offending "brazen" and "carefully planned" and said there was no doubt it was extremely serious. He considered Alibadi's guilty plea and his stated determination to stop using methamphetamine. The court also heard that Alibadi had severe post-traumatic stress disorder and depression after witnessing violence when his family returned to Iraq during a period of intense Islamic State activity.

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Maytham doesn't want it [Karizma] to be open on Christmas.