Fadi Haddara, 48, was shot Sunday night in Altona North, a suburb west of Melbourne, in what police are treating as a suspected gangland attack. He was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries.
The shooting occurred as Haddara sat in a vehicle in the driveway of a property. Police have cordoned off the area and are investigating.
Haddara has a long and violent history within Melbourne's criminal circles. In the early 2000s, his family name was associated with significant underworld activity. In June 2009, his brother, Mohammed Haddara, was killed in a drive-by shooting in the same area where Fadi was shot.
Weeks after Mohammed's death, crime family patriarch Macchour Chaouk was murdered. Fadi Haddara's father, Ahmed Haddara, was a prime suspect in Chaouk's execution but died before charges were laid. This period of conflict, often referred to as a "war" within Melbourne's west, saw significant bloodshed over several years.
In 2019, Ali Chaouk was sentenced to 24 years in prison for the shooting of Mohammed Haddara. The conflict between the Haddara and Chaouk families was a prominent feature of Melbourne's organized crime landscape for years.
Fadi Haddara himself was jailed in 2015 for 23 months after being convicted of selling methamphetamine and firearms as part of Victoria Police's Operation Skyborn. During the investigation, Haddara was recorded selling $155,000 worth of methamphetamine and two handguns, along with a sawn-off rifle, to undercover officers. Surveillance also captured him handling firearms, including an incident where a gun accidentally discharged.
During his sentencing, County Court Judge Felicity Hampel noted Haddara's "total disregard for living within the law." His criminal history also includes a conviction for property damage, which was reportedly retaliation against the Chaouk family.
Despite his reputation, Haddara reportedly had supporters. In 2018, an Imam at the Australian Islamic Centre in Newport testified in court that Haddara had always shown "great respect for other people, respect for the law and authorities," describing him as a trustworthy community contributor.
Haddara is also suspected of being a significant player in Victoria's illicit tobacco trade. Reports suggest he had come into conflict with exiled underworld figure Kazem Hamad. True crime reporter Ryan Naumenko claimed Haddara was shot in the mouth and chest and had a low chance of survival, linking the shooting to an ongoing conflict with Hamad.
Kazem Hamad is currently serving a life sentence in an Iraqi prison for drug trafficking. He was deported to Iraq in July 2023. Victorian police had suspected Hamad and his gang of controlling large parts of the illicit tobacco market in Australia, enforcing their dominance through extortion and violence.
Victoria Police were scheduled to hold a press conference regarding the shooting on Monday afternoon.