A 20-year-old has been charged with sending two tobacco stores up in smoke and ram-raiding a third across eight days.
Taskforce Lunar detectives investigating Victoria's gangland war over control of the illegal tobacco market charged the Endeavour Hills man on Wednesday with multiple offences including, burglary, vehicle theft and criminal damage.
The arrest related to three incidents beginning in the early hours of Sunday, August 11 when a stolen Audi was rammed into a Melton tobacco store before both were torched.
Another tobacco store and a van was set alight the following Saturday morning in the suburb of Glenroy.
Two days later, more than 130km away in the regional Victorian town of Wonthaggi, a stolen Madza 3 was torched after being used to ram-raid a third tobacconist.
Damage costs were estimated to be well over $1 million, Detective Inspector Graham Banks said.
"Since Taskforce Lunar was established last October, we have arrested almost 80 people involved in serious and violent offending linked to the illicit tobacco trade, and we will continue to do so," Det Insp Banks said in a statement.
No one was inside the stores when the incidents occurred.
The investigation continues, and the suspect has been remanded to appear at Melbourne Magistrates Court on November 14.
The incidents came after scores of similar attacks on tobacco stores, linked to a gangland war being waged for dominance of the illegal tobacco market.
Emergency services were called to five fires at homes and businesses across Melbourne between Sunday night and Monday morning, including one at a property reportedly linked to former Mongols bikie and professional boxer Suleiman “Sam” Abdulrahim.
Police were called to the same street in May over a drive-by shooting and failed attempt on Mr Abdulrahim's life.
