Latest news with #OperationHawk
The Age
7 days ago
- The Age
Machetes, firebombings: This shouldn't be life in Melbourne
Melbourne is a peaceful city. Fear does not sit on our shoulders when we go out. Law and order prevail. There is no breakdown in society, but there is a worrying crack in the light. In the increasing lawlessness and disorder, there is a breaking down of certainty in that safety. Firebombings are an act of extreme violence and, in Melbourne, they are no longer a one-off occurrence. In the early hours of Tuesday, a construction company's headquarters was firebombed. El Dorado Contractors, based in the city's west, has been hit twice in a fortnight. Since September 2023, there have been at least 11 arson attacks on construction firms. The real number is likely higher. The attacks have intensified since the CFMEU was placed into administration last August. Loading The rotten state of the building industry in Victoria, exposed by The Age's Building Bad series, produced in conjunction with 60 Minutes and The Australian Financial Review, is hostage to a war of arson and intimidation by criminal players seeking power and money. The Operation Hawk taskforce, was set up in March, according to the Premier Jacinta Allan, or nine months earlier, according to police sources. There is, however, one consistency in each report of an attack. They are, says the premier, 'unacceptable'. We couldn't agree more. Also unacceptable is the firebombing of tobacco shops. There have been 133 attacks since March 2023 in Melbourne. The war for control of the billion-dollar illicit tobacco trade has turned quiet suburban streets into battle zones. They are not random attacks, yet the consequences not only affect neighbouring businesses. The drive-by shootings and attacks on homes can be devastating and deadly, as in the case of the death of Katie Tangey, an innocent bystander. Loading When the prevalence of machete attacks is bundled in with the tobacco and construction violence, then the sense of lawlessness in this state reaches a troubling level. On Sunday afternoon at Northland shopping centre, hundreds of people ran for their lives as two gangs, armed with machetes, were intent on causing harm to each other. There were injuries to some gang members, but none to the public. From noon today, the sale of machetes in this state is banned. Prohibition on possession of the knives will not come into effect until September 1. From that date, there will be a three-month amnesty for people to take machetes to a police station and not be charged. The crackdown on weapons was decided in March.
The Age
7 days ago
- The Age
Melbourne company ablaze after yet another firebombing in construction war
A construction company's headquarters was firebombed in the early hours of Tuesday, as a campaign of arson and intimidation continues to erupt in Victoria's building industry. The company, El Dorado Contractors, based in Melbourne's west, has now been firebombed twice in a fortnight, but Tuesday's latest attack has done more damage than the first. Victoria Police said emergency services were called to the fire on Calarco Road in Derrimut about 5.35am. No one had been inside the factory at the time of the blaze, which was being treated as suspicious, police said. The attack will likely be assigned to the Operation Hawk taskforce, the nascent police investigative team assigned to probing crime and corruption in the building industry. Loading Last week, this masthead revealed how a campaign of firebombings and intimidation had erupted in Victoria's construction sector as underworld players seek to control pockets of an industry supposedly being cleaned up by state and federal government reforms. The campaign has intensified over recent weeks. Equipment on a Victorian government-backed social housing site was torched earlier this month and the family homes of major construction company directors were separately targeted in attacks involving arson or violent confrontation. The ongoing attacks will raise serious questions for the state government and Victoria Police, which last year failed to assign detectives or adequate resources to investigate crime in the construction industry after the Building Bad investigation was published by this masthead and 60 Minutes.
The Age
26-05-2025
- The Age
Melbourne construction company firebombed twice in a fortnight
A construction company's headquarters has been firebombed in the early hours of Tuesday, as a campaign of arson and intimidation continues to erupt in Victoria's building industry. The company, El Dorado Contractors, based in Melbourne's west, has now been firebombed twice in a fortnight, but Tuesday's latest attack has done more damage than the first. Fire crews and police are still at the scorched offices of the firm in Derrimut, but the attack will almost certainly be assigned to the Operation Hawk taskforce, the nascent police investigative team assigned the task of probing crime and corruption in the building industry. Last week, this masthead revealed how a campaign of firebombings and intimidation had erupted in Victoria's construction sector as underworld players seek to control pockets of an industry supposedly being cleaned up by state and federal government reforms. The campaign has intensified over recent weeks. Equipment on a Victorian government-backed social housing site was torched earlier this month and the family homes of major construction company directors were separately targeted in attacks involving arson or violent confrontation. The ongoing attacks will raise serious questions for the state government and Victoria Police, which last year failed to assign detectives or adequate resources to investigate crime in the construction industry after the Building Bad investigation was published by this masthead and 60 Minutes. In March, amid fresh reports of crime and corruption involving the building industry and the construction wing of the CFMEU, police scrambled to assign a small number of detectives to a taskforce codenamed 'Hawk'. The firebombing attacks on Victorian construction sites began about 18 months ago but have intensified since the union was plunged into administration in August after the Building Bad reports. This masthead has confirmed at least 11 arson attacks on construction firms since September 2023, although the true number is likely to be higher because some may not have been reported to police.
Sydney Morning Herald
26-05-2025
- Sydney Morning Herald
Melbourne construction company firebombed twice in a fortnight
A construction company's headquarters has been firebombed in the early hours of Tuesday, as a campaign of arson and intimidation continues to erupt in Victoria's building industry. The company, El Dorado Contractors, based in Melbourne's west, has now been firebombed twice in a fortnight, but Tuesday's latest attack has done more damage than the first. Fire crews and police are still at the scorched offices of the firm in Derrimut, but the attack will almost certainly be assigned to the Operation Hawk taskforce, the nascent police investigative team assigned the task of probing crime and corruption in the building industry. Last week, this masthead revealed how a campaign of firebombings and intimidation had erupted in Victoria's construction sector as underworld players seek to control pockets of an industry supposedly being cleaned up by state and federal government reforms. The campaign has intensified over recent weeks. Equipment on a Victorian government-backed social housing site was torched earlier this month and the family homes of major construction company directors were separately targeted in attacks involving arson or violent confrontation. The ongoing attacks will raise serious questions for the state government and Victoria Police, which last year failed to assign detectives or adequate resources to investigate crime in the construction industry after the Building Bad investigation was published by this masthead and 60 Minutes. In March, amid fresh reports of crime and corruption involving the building industry and the construction wing of the CFMEU, police scrambled to assign a small number of detectives to a taskforce codenamed 'Hawk'. The firebombing attacks on Victorian construction sites began about 18 months ago but have intensified since the union was plunged into administration in August after the Building Bad reports. This masthead has confirmed at least 11 arson attacks on construction firms since September 2023, although the true number is likely to be higher because some may not have been reported to police.
United News of India
03-05-2025
- United News of India
CBI busts child sexual abuse networks as part of Op Hawk
Kolkata, May 3 (UNI) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has busted cybercrime networks in parts of India allegedly involving online child sexual exploitation with international linkages after the federal agency received inputs from the USA, official sources said. " On the basis of inputs received from the USA , the CBI launched Operation Hawk and successfully dismantled the cybercrime networks involving online child sexual exploitation with international linkages," the CBI said. The International Operations Division of CBI registered a case against one Sheik Muizz Ahmed under section 506 of Indian Penal Code as well as section 66D of Information Technology Act, 2000 and section 12 read with section 11 of POCSO Act, 2012 and launched investigation to detect the cybercrime network involving online sexual exploitation. During March, 2024, accused Sheikh Muizz Ahmed, a resident of Mangalore, operated through social media platform 'Discord' under the username 'heisenberg7343' and engaged in online chats with " a minor girl from the US." During chats, the accused induced the minor girl to engage in sexualized chats with him and he further enticed her to share her obscene images/videos with him over the said platform, the CBI said. "The accused also intimidated the minor victim to engage in obscene sexual activities online," the federal agency stated. Following registration of the case, the CBI conducted extensive searches at various locations in Mumbai and Mangalore linked to the accused leading to recovery of electronic devices viz mobile phone and laptop which contained CSAM obtained by the accused from the minor girl victim by way of inducement. Accused Sheikh Muizz Ahmed was arrested by the CBI and sent to judicial custody. The International Operations Division of CBI registered another case against Mukul Saini under section 506 of Indian Penal Code as well as section 67 of Information Technology Act, 2000 and section 12 read with sections 11 and 15 of POCSO Act, 2012 and launched investigation. During the period 2023-2024, accused Mukul Saini, resident of Delhi operated through social media platform 'Discord' vide IDs 'Izumi#9412', 'Izumi#7070', 'Deadddd#6873' and 'Arisu' and engaged in online chats with a minor girl from USA. During chats, the accused induced the minor girl to engage in sexualized chats with him and share her obscene images/videos with him over the said platform, the federal agency said. The accused also intimidated the minor victim to continue sharing her obscene images/videos, otherwise he will make her obscene images/videos viral on the internet. The investigation agency then conducted extensive searches at various locations in Delhi linked to the accused leading to recovery of electronic devices via mobile phones and computer hard disks containing incriminating digital evidence relating to the case. Earlier, the CBI had launched Operation CARBON in 2021 and Operation Megh Chakra in 2022 as part of its efforts for rapid response to online child sexual exploitation cases with international linkages and trace accused, suspects and conspirators, located across international jurisdictions, requiring a globally coordinated law enforcement response. UNI PC PRS
