The majority of underworld crime figures and major incidents can be traced back to the Painters And Dockers Union that existed on Melbourne's Waterfront after the Second World War. The Union had a Mafia -like structure, and most criminal activity was centered around control of the Union, and the cut associated with the drugs (primarily Heroin and Cocaine ) that passed through the port. The Melbourne Markets were seen as a natural distribution point for these illegal substances.
The Breakup of the Union in 1984 did nothing to stop the importation of illegal drugs, and by 1990 the local Manufacture of Amphetamines had increased to the point where the Police described Melbourne as the "''amphetamine capital of Australia''". As well as drug dealing, criminals received income through Protection Racket s in King Street Nightclubs , as well as in Prostitution , Illegal Gambling , and Armed Robbery .
The following groups of people were connected to the murders.
An Italian group that has long been linked with control of Melbourne's Fruit And Vegetable Markets . Frank Benvenuto and Domenico Italiano are reported to have been associated with this group.
See Also: Moran family
A very loose association of waterfront workers and ex-members of the Painters and Dockers Union. Graham Kinniburgh , Victor Pierce , Lewis , Mark , and Jason Moran have all been associated with 'the Dockers'.
Led by Alphonse Gangitano . Domenic "Mick" Gatto and his lawyer George Defteros, Mario Condello , and brothers Vincenzo and Gerardo Manella are also associated with this group.
George Williams, his son Carl Williams , and Carl's wife Roberta Williams were involved in drug trafficking and the Manufacture of Amphetamines . Previously they were associated with the 'Carlton Crew' and the Moran family. Victor Brincat , Thomas Hentschell, Alfonso Traglia , Paul Kallipolitis, Lewis Caine, Dino Dibra , and Rocco Arico were all associates of the Williams Family. Andrew Veniamin was believed to have defected to the group from the 'Carlton Crew' in early 2003.
Led by Nik "The Russian" Radev , a convicted drug dealer and career criminal. Mark Mallia, Housam Zayat, Istvan Gulyas, Michael Marshall, and Willie Thompson were known associates.
- The Melbourne gangland killings are believed to have begun with the murder of 40 year-old Alphonse Gangitano on January 16 . He was shot and killed in the laundry of his home, while clad only in his underwear. A Coroner's report into his death directly implicated Jason Moran and Graham Kinniburgh . They were both found to be in Gangitano's home in Templestowe when the murder took place; however, it could not be established who pulled the trigger. Kinniburgh's blood was found on a banister inside the house, and his skin was found on a dent on the front security door. Both were excused from giving evidence to the coroner on the grounds they might incriminate themselves.
- On August 3 , John Furlan, a 48 year old motor mechanic from Coburg was killed by a Car Bomb in his Subaru Liberty outside his home. Domenico "Mick" Italiano was treated as a suspect since he had recently been involved in a payment dispute with the deceased; however, no one has been arrested in connection with his death. {Link without Title}
- 42 year old stand-over man Charles Hegyaljie, known as "Mad Charlie", was killed at his Caulfield home on November 23 . He was an acquaintance of Chopper Read and had been associated with the amphetamine industry. Dino Dibra was linked to the killing, which was believed to be either drug or debt related.
- and Alphonse Gangitano, was ambushed and killed outside his home in North Fitzroy on the evening of January 9. Media suspected his death was debt-related or part of an underworld power struggle but no suspects were ever named.
- Joseph Quadara , a 57 year old Greengrocer , was ambushed by two people and killed in a Toorak carpark in the early hours of May 28, as he was about to start work at a Safeway Supermarket . The former millionaire was declared bankrupt in 1994 . Police believed that his killing was a case of mistaken identity, due to the existence of another Giuseppe "Joe" Quadara involved in Melbourne's fruit and vegetable industry with underworld connections. {Link without Title}
- Brighton businessman Dimitrios Belias, 38, was killed with a single shot to the back of the head on September 9, in an underground carpark on St Kilda road. He was believed to be heavily in debt.
- On October 13, known drug dealer Carl Williams was shot in the stomach and survived. Williams told the Police he blacked out and could not identify the shooter. Known underworld figures Mark and Jason Moran were present at the time, and police believe there was a dispute related to a failed amphetamines batch and ownership of drug manufacturing equipment. A woman told police she heard a man cry "No, Jason!" moments before a shot was fired.
- On October 20, Vince Mannella's brother, 31 year old Gerardo Mannella, was ambushed and killed outside his brothers home, after attempting to flee from two men.
- On November 25, George and Carl Williams were charged with multiple drug offences after police raided an alleged amphetamine factory in Broadmeadows . Police seized around 25,000 amphetamine tablets, a pill press, a loaded pistol and 6.95 kg of powders containing Methylamphetamine , Ketamine , and Pseudoephedrine with a street value up to A$20 million. These charges were never brought to trial because of Corruption allegations against former drug squad detectives involved in the raid.
- 52 year old Fruiterer Francesco Benvenuto, also known as "Frank Benvenuto", was shot dead while sitting in his car in the driveway of his Beaumaris home on May 8 , 2000. Phone records show that as Benvenuto lay dying he managed to ring ex-employee and associate Victor Pierce on his mobile phone. Police initially treated him as a suspect but later offered a $100,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. {Link without Title} . Mark Moran and Andrew Veniamin were later named as chief suspects.
- Richard Mladenich, a 37-year-old career criminal, and associate of Mark Moran was killed with a single bullet in the St Kilda Esquire Hotel on May 16 , 2000. He had recently been released from jail where he once shared a cell with Chopper Read . Police later named Rocco Arico as a suspect but were unable to interview him whilst he was in prison. They later named Dino Dibra as their primary suspect
- On June 15 , 2000, Mark Moran was killed with two bullets as he was stepping into his car outside his luxury home in Aberfeldie . Mark's murder initially thought of as retribution for the death of Frank Benvenuto.
- 35 year-old Dino Dibra was killed on October 14 , 2000, after leaving his house in West Sunshine . At the time he was facing charges relating to kidnap and assault. At a police press conference, Detective Inspector Andrew Allen said "''We are confident that this gunman is a hired hitman and that he, along with another person, ambushed Mr Dibra that night about 9.15pm and shot him a number of times ... this is not the only murder (the gunman) has committed''" . This police profile strongly suggested that "Benji" Veniamin was one of the gunmen. A A$100 000 reward was offered by police for information.
- On May 19 , 2001 Carl Williams was re-arrested and charged with drug trafficking and possession. He remained in custody until July 17, 2002 when he was released on bail due to an internal corruption investigation at the Victorian police drug squad.
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- with the killing but Police never named any suspects.
- On October 16 2002, the body of drug dealer Paul Kallipolitis was found in his West Sunshine home. Police believe he had been murdered a day earlier and publicly suspected that his one-time-friend Andrew Veniamin was the killer.
- Nik Radev , known as "The Russian", was killed in Queen St Coburg on April 15. The known drug dealer and standover man was shot seven times in the head and chest as he sat in his Mercedes coup. Victoria Police told ''The Age'' that they believed his death was planned by a father and son drug manufacturing team, and a hitman suspected of four other murders carried out the killing in a red sedan. Andrew Veniamin met Radev on the day of the murder and unambiguously fitted the police description of the prime suspect, along with George and Carl Williams. Damien Cossu and Alfonso Traglia were with Radev at the time of the murder but claimed they could not identify the gunman, and were subsequently named by police as 'persons of interest'
- On June 21, 36 year old Jason Moran , and his minder, 40 year old Pasquale Barbaro were shot dead by a man in a Balaclava as they sat in a parked blue van outside an '' Auskick '' Football clinic in Essendon . Five children were witness to the murder including Moran's six-year-old twin boy and girl. The gunman ran away across the football oval and over a Moonee Ponds Creek footbridge to a waiting vehicle.
- Small time drug dealer Willie Thompson, 39, was killed on July 21, while sitting in his car after leaving a suburban gym in Chadstone . Police say the gunman strolled up to the car and shot Thompson dead before escaping with a second person in a stolen Ford sedan. Some bullets were lodged in nearby shops. Thompson's official occupation was a lollipop vendor inside nightclubs, and a police report said he had recently developed an enmity with Nik Radev .
- Housam Zayat, 32, was found in a paddock in Tarneit with multiple bullet wounds to the head on September 11. Zayat was also a close associate of Nik Radev .
- On October 20 Istvan "Steve" Gulyas, 49, and his defacto wife were found executed in their Sunbury home. Together they ran a dating agency, ''Partner Search Australia'' which Police suspected was a front for a Brothel . Gulyas was also a friend of Nik Radev .
- Michael Marshall was shot five times in the head outside his South Yarra home in front of his girlfriend and his five year old son on October 25. He was the owner of a hot dog stand, and also a suspected drug dealer. Marshall was a 'friend' of Willie Thompson and also Nik Radev. Victor Brincat and Thomas Hentschel were arrested and charged for the murder within hours of the shooting by Operation Purana . Police revealed that Hentschel's car had been Bugged and that the killing had been caught on an audio surveillance tape. Both men were associates of Carl Williams
- On November 17 Carl Williams was arrested and charged with making threats to kill a Purana Taskforce detective and the investigator's girlfriend. The alleged threats were made in a taped phone conversation to Victor Brincat in Barwon Prison . Carl was bailed two weeks later. The arrest was dramatically captured on film by ''The Age'' Photographer Angela Wylie.
- 62-year-old Graham Kinniburgh , known as "The Munster", was ambushed and shot dead outside his home in Kew just after midnight on December 13. Police said he had been killed in front of family members soon after parking his car. Kinniburgh was carrying a gun and managed to return one shot before being killed. He was considered Melbourne's most influential criminal at the time of his death. Domenic Gatto was a Pallbearer at his funeral, Lewis Moran and many other underworld figures also attended. Andrew Veniamin was treated as a suspect in his murder, and Carl Williams was also questioned.
'', Feb 24 2004]]
- In February, Carl Williams went on the record with the news magazine '' The Bulletin '' with a denial that he had paid "Benji" Veniamin A$100,000 for five of the murders.
and Carl Williams on March 23 2004. Veniamin was killed that afternoon.]]
- On March 23 , Andrew Veniamin was shot and killed in the Carlton pizza restaurant "''La Porcella''" after an argument with Domenic Gatto . Gatto was charged with his murder, Police alleging that Dominic had set a trap for Veniamin. Veniamin was a close associate of Carl Williams and was suspected to be a hitman involved in as many as seven underworld murders.
- The next victim was 58 year old Lewis Moran , father of Jason Moran and stepfather of Mark Moran. On March 31 he was shot and killed in broad daylight by two balaclava-clad men in the front bar of the Brunswick Club in Brunswick . Lewis had only recently been released on bail for on drug trafficking charges and police had warned him that his life was in danger. The shooting also injured his associate, Herb Wrout.
- On May 8 the body of Lewis Caine was found dumped in a Brunswick street, with a single gunshot wound to the head. He was a friend of Carl Williams and had been seen dining with him two nights earlier.
- Purana Taskforce detectives arrested Carl Williams for conspiracy to murder on the 9th of June. His associates Sean Sonnet and Gregg Hildebrandt were arrested only metres from the home of Mario Condello. Victoria Police said the raids had "absolutely" saved Mario Condello from becoming the 28th gangland victim. Eight days later Mario Condello and Dominic Gatto's solicitor, George Defteros, were arrested over a simultaneous plan to murder George Williams and Carl Williams. Mario Condello was himself killed on February 7th, 2006.
- On 6 February the eve of Mario Condello's murder trial he was shot dead in his driveway at around 10pm. Condello had dined with Mick Gatto earlier in the night and police have warned Gatto is under increased risk as this may be the resumption of the gangland war.
- On 7 March the body of Lee Torney was retrieved from a goldmine shaft in central Victoria. Graham John Holden has been charged with his murder.
- On 20 March Melbourne business man Tony Mokbel was feared dead after he failed to appear in Court during his trial for the importation of Cocaine from Mexico in 2000. A warrant was issued for his arrest, but Mokbel was not seen since 5pm the night before and his defence team feared for his life. Mokbel had the week before this date raised concerns for his safety due to an incident not related to the case.
Carl Williams was later charged along with Victor Brincat and Thomas Hentschel and for the murder of Michael Marshall. He pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges relating to his arrest in 2001 and in October 2004 was given a seven year jail sentence, which he is currently serving in the maximum security Acacia unit of Barwon Prison . His wife, Roberta Williams is also serving time for drug trafficking and credit card fraud.
On September 17 , 2004 Alfonso Traglia, Victor Brincat and Carl Williams were charged with the murders of Jason Moran and Pasquale Barbaro . In May 2005 Carl Williams was additionally charged with the murder of Mark Moran, after a former employee agreed to testify that he was Carl's driver on the day of the incident, and drove him to a location near Mark's house at the time of the murder. Zarah Garde-Wilson, the widow of Lewis Caine, is defending all of the men in their court cases.
Conspiracy to murder charges against George Defteros and Mario Condello were dropped Nolle Prosequi by the DPP in June 2005.
arrest Keith George Faure , brother and '''Evangelos Goussis''' in Geelong on May 19 , 2004 .]]
In May 2005, Keith Faure , brother Noel Faure, 50, and Evangelos Goussis, 37, all of Geelong were charged with the murder Lewis Moran and the attempted murder of Herb Wrout. Security footage from Moran's murder showed that one of the gunmen had a Tattoo identical to the accused. Previously Keith and Evangelos been charged with the murder of Lewis Caine. Faure and associate, Evangelos Goussis became the first convicted of murder related to the gangland killings on November 3, 2005.
Known underworld figure Nicholas Ibrahim was charged with the murder of Housam Zayat. During the trial in June 2005 an eyewitness to the shooting refused at the last minute to testify against Ibrahim, and was charged with contempt of court.
In June 2005 Domenic Gatto was found not guilty of the murder of Andrew Veniamin . During the trial, claimed he had acted in self defence after Veniamin pulled out a .38 and threatened to kill him. Gatto claims that during a struggle he was able to turn the gun around on Veniamin and fire one shot into his neck, and one shot in the eye. He also claimed that during the argument, Veniamin had implicated himself in the deaths of Dino Dibra, Paul Kallipolitis and Graham Kinniburgh.
See Also: Operation Purana
Taskforce Purana was set up by Victoria Police to focus resources on solving the murders and stopping the violence and is now regarded as a success with more than 50 arrests and 200 charges laid.
On November 3, 2005, Keith Faure and Evangelos Goussis became the first convicted with murder related to the Melbourne gangland killings. Both have appealed their conviction. {Link without Title}
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