An exiled organised crime figure long associated with Melbourne’s violent tobacco trade and broader underworld conflicts has been arrested in Baghdad, Iraqi authorities confirmed, acting on a formal request from Australian law enforcement.

Kazem “Kaz” Hamad — previously deported from Australia after serving a lengthy prison sentence for drug trafficking — was detained by Iraq’s National Centre for International Judicial Cooperation as part of an international effort to disrupt his alleged criminal operations spanning multiple countries.

Iraqi officials described him as one of the “most dangerous wanted men in the world” and cited investigations into heroin smuggling, shootings, kidnapping, extortion and arson as part of proceedings initiated by the First Karkh Investigation Court.

The arrest represents a significant milestone in efforts to curb the illicit tobacco wars that have plagued Victoria in recent years, marked by firebombings, turf battles and the involvement of outlaw motorcycle gangs and Middle Eastern crime syndicates vying for control of the illegal tobacco market.

Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett, who has publicly identified Hamad as a priority target and national security threat, said the AFP had collaborated closely with Victorian police and international partners, providing intelligence that contributed to Iraq’s decision to detain him.

Iraqi authorities indicated they launched their own criminal investigation into the allegations before making the arrest.

Hamad, who was deported to Iraq in two thousand and twenty-three after completing an eight-year sentence for his role in drug trafficking, is alleged to have continued to exert influence on underworld networks from abroad, with police linking him to violent incidents in Melbourne, including firebombings and shootings tied to the illicit tobacco trade.

Victorian leaders, including police leadership, welcomed news of the arrest while remaining cautious in public comment due to ongoing legal proceedings.

They emphasised that the capture could disrupt organised crime operations that have had a destabilising impact on communities.

Discussions among law enforcement stakeholders now focus on how the arrest will affect power dynamics within Australia’s underworld and what steps will follow amid complex considerations around extradition and prosecution.