Victorian detectives say they have made one of the most significant arrests yet in their investigation into a wave of arson attacks, home invasions and violent intimidation linked to Melbourne’s hospitality industry.
A 20-year-old Melbourne man, Jesse Hadchiti, was arrested in the city’s north-west on Tuesday as part of Operation Eclipse, the police taskforce examining attacks on venues and alleged organised-crime activity across Victoria. Police allege the man used encrypted communications to direct other people to carry out serious offences, including arson-related activity, kidnapping and extortion.
Police describe arrest as major step in Operation Eclipse
Detective Inspector Graham Banks described the arrest as the most consequential development since Operation Eclipse began. The operation was established after a series of attacks targeting hospitality venues and has since broadened to examine whether syndicates are using local offenders to carry out violence on behalf of figures based overseas.
Police allege the arrested man was a high-ranking member of an organised crime group connected to a broader network that previously targeted tobacco stores and later expanded its focus to licensed venues. Investigators say the pattern of offending reflects what they call “crime as a service”, where people are allegedly tasked through encrypted applications to carry out intimidation, arson and other violent acts.
Authorities have also alleged links to offshore organised-crime figures, including people believed to be directing offending from the Middle East. Police said those connections remain a key part of the investigation, particularly after the detention overseas of alleged syndicate figure Kazem “Kaz” Hamad earlier this year.
Charges include kidnapping, extortion and attempted arson
Hadchiti has been charged with a series of serious offences, including aggravated home invasion with an offensive weapon, kidnapping, extortion with threats to kill, false imprisonment, attempting to commit arson and three counts of recruiting a child to engage in criminal activity.
Police allege he was known by the handle “CommBank” on an encrypted app and used that channel to arrange offences. One alleged incident involved a mistaken-identity kidnapping in Malvern on 14 April, when several men allegedly assaulted a man inside his home before forcing him into a vehicle. The man was later dropped outside a hospital, and police believe he was not the intended target. Four males have been charged in relation to the assault.
Investigators also allege the 20-year-old organised an attempted aggravated home invasion in Doncaster on 28 April. Police say the same network is being examined over multiple firebombing and intimidation incidents that have caused fear among venue operators and local communities.
Hospitality sector remains on alert
The so-called hospitality wars have drawn sustained police attention because attacks on restaurants, bars and related businesses can place workers, patrons and nearby residents at risk. Arson attacks in busy suburban areas also create wider public safety concerns for firefighters, emergency services and neighbouring businesses.
Victoria Police have said their priority is to disrupt the people ordering the attacks as well as those allegedly carrying them out. Detectives believe some offenders are being recruited locally, including young people, while instructions and payments may originate from higher-ranking figures outside Australia.
The charges against Hadchiti will now proceed through the courts, where the allegations will be tested. Police have indicated Operation Eclipse remains active and further arrests have not been ruled out as investigators continue examining encrypted communications, financial links and alleged connections between attacks on different venues.
For Melbourne’s hospitality industry, the arrest may offer some reassurance, but police have warned the broader investigation is far from over. Businesses affected by suspicious approaches, threats or unexplained damage have been urged to contact authorities as detectives continue mapping the network behind the violence.
