By Timothy S. Donahue
Top Takeaways:
- Iraq detained Kazem “Kaz” Hamad after an official request from Australia, Reuters reported.
- Australian police have linked Hamad to organized crime activity tied to Victoria’s illicit tobacco market and associated arson attacks.
- Extradition and the next legal steps remain unclear as proceedings move through Iraqi authorities.
Iraqi authorities have arrested Kazem “Kaz” Hamad, an exiled underworld figure wanted by Australian police, linked to Australia’s illicit tobacco trade and a wave of violence targeting tobacco shops.
Iraq’s National Center for International Judicial Cooperation detained Hamad in Baghdad following an official request from Australia, according to Reuters and other Australian media outlets.
Australian Federal Police (AFP) Commissioner Reece Kershaw said the arrest followed extensive international coordination and called Hamad the AFP’s “number one offshore priority target.”
Hamad, who was deported from Australia to Iraq in 2023 after serving prison time for drug trafficking offenses, has been identified in Australian reporting as a key person of interest in the violent “tobacco war” in Victoria, which police say has involved repeated arson attacks on tobacco shops, intimidation, and extortion.
The Victorian government established Taskforce Lunar in 2023 to respond to the escalation of organized crime activity linked to the illicit tobacco market, with authorities describing the violence as driven by disputes over control of illegal tobacco sales.
Hamad was arrested for alleged drug importation and smuggling, while Victorian authorities have linked him to broader organized crime networks involved in illegal tobacco.
It is not yet clear whether Hamad will be extradited to Australia. Reuters reported that Australian officials have been working with international counterparts to locate and detain Hamad, but legal proceedings are now underway in Iraq.
