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Tobacco Wars Explode: 10 Shops Damaged in Latest Attack
More than 80 firefighters responded as police set up a crime scene and warned of smoke, with Victoria Street closed to traffic and trams.
- On Monday, a ram-raid on a Richmond tobacco store sparked a fire that engulfed 10 businesses, prompting Fire Rescue Victoria crews to respond at 4:15 am on Victoria Street.
- This incident marks the latest in more than 150 tobacco store fires in Victoria since March 2023, with police linking such attacks to criminal syndicates competing in the illegal tobacco market.
- Fire crews arrived within three minutes to find the shop fully alight; 80 firefighters and 25 firefighting trucks contained the blaze by 6 am, with no injuries reported.
- Victoria Police have established a crime scene and investigation is underway, while the Gang Crime Squad, formerly Taskforce Lunar, has executed more than 350 raids and made at least 212 arrests related to the illegal trade.
- Griffith University criminologist Dominique De Andrade warned such attacks will likely "to occur and impact local communities" in Melbourne, noting illicit tobacco now makes up more than half of Australia's market with "no quick fix.
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Tobacco wars flare in city after ram-raid, fires
Tobacco wars in an Australian capital have reignited after criminals rammed a tobacco shop and set it alight.
·Warrnambool, Australia
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources12
Leaning Left6Leaning Right3Center2Last UpdatedBias Distribution55% Left
Bias Distribution
- 55% of the sources lean Left
55% Left
L 55%
C 18%
R 27%
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