Man charged in Melbourne gang violence blames teen house guests for attack
A 41-year-old man charged in a home invasion blames three teenage house guests for the attack.
A drug trafficker was arrested for a home invasion linked to Melbourne's bar wars. Ismail blamed three teenage house guests for the attack.
Police say the three 17-year-old boys were hired to carry out a five-day crime spree in April. The spree included kidnappings, torture, and home invasions.
It targeted nightlife figures. One target was club promoter Paul Samlidis.
His family home was invaded while he was in hospital. He was recovering from a separate attack.
The accused group forced entry with a samurai sword. They assaulted Samlidis' father and brother.
Police say accused man Deren Ismail and one teen later argued about payment for the job. More than 40 firebombings, shootings, home invasions and kidnappings have been linked to the broader extortion campaign.
Authorities believe it is run by organized crime gang The Commission.
Why it mattersThe case shows how large and organized gang violence is in Melbourne's nightlife. It affects business owners and residents.
AustraliaMelbourne's nightlife venues and residents continue to face escalating gang-related violence and extortion, with authorities working to dismantle a network blamed for over 40 attacks.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 2 d ago
