By Marta Pascual Juanola, Alex Crowe and Lachlan Abbott
The relative of a Sonsa Market owner has been charged with threatening an ex-member of an outlaw motorcycle gang with a hammer during a roadside fight, claiming he had raped his sister according to a witness statement to police.
Investigators believe the altercation is connected to an ongoing feud behind a recent spate of arson attacks that destroyed two suburban homes, several cars and three businesses, including Sonsa Market.
Victoria Police’s anti-gang officers arrested Hasan Gunes, a relative of Sonsa Market co-owner Ali Gunes, and Harwe Sherwani, a former patched member of the Comancheros, in Balwyn North and Caroline Springs on Wednesday morning.
Officers charged Gunes on Wednesday afternoon with five offences, including reckless conduct endangering injury and affray, over the alleged fight in Melbourne’s west almost two weeks ago. Gunes later appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court via video link and did not apply for bail.
Sherwani was released without charge.
In court documents, police allege Gunes pursued Sherwani in a “high-speed and protracted road rage incident” in Ravenhall, tailgating and veering wildly across the Western Freeway before ramming and severely damaging Sherwani’s grey Toyota Corolla, spinning it out of control and bringing it to a stop in heavy city-bound traffic.
Hasan Gunes (left) has been arrested. His relative Ali Gunes (right) is the co-owner of the Sonsa Market in Collingwood.Credit: Facebook
Police allege in a court summary Gunes then crashed his Holden Commodore and Sherwani started to run away back through freeway traffic that had come to a standstill about 11am on Friday, July 7.
Gunes gave chase – brandishing a hammer in his right hand – and a witness told police he shouted, “He raped my sister! He raped my sister!” as he tried to catch up on the Deer Park Bypass, police allege in court documents.
Police say Gunes then chased Sherwani through grassland into an industrial estate towards Caroline Springs, while officers who later attended the collision scene found Gunes’ license in the Holden.
None of Hasan Gunes, Ali Gunes or Sherwani has been charged with any arson offence and police are not alleging they are responsible for the arson attacks.
Five police and underworld sources have told The Age that the feud commenced before the road rage incident and originally related to an aggressive push by a cartel of organised criminals to control drug prices and compel other gangs to put a floor price on cocaine.
None of Hasan Gunes, Ali Gunes and Sherwani have been charged with any drug offences and The Age is not suggesting they are personally involved with any drug related activity.
The cartel, known as The Commission, has been trying to strongarm dealers into freezing supply of the popular party drug in a bid to reverse a recent slump in prices caused by other criminal networks flooding the market with cheap cocaine.
However, other underworld sources pointed at a turf war between rival gangs and a personal dispute between key players as the potential catalyst for the spate of attacks.
The road rage incident which Gunes was charged for on Tuesday occurred just hours after the Port Melbourne offices of a building company connected to his brother, Ali Gunes, were broken into, doused in accelerant and set alight in the early hours.
Sherwani’s home was torched – twice – less than a week later, on July 9 and 10. The suburban home, which was badly damaged in the attack, had also been firebombed on June 27.
Images on social media show Ali and Hasan Gunes partying, fishing, attending family functions and travelling to the US and Europe together.
In one of the photos, a young Hasan dressed in a crisp white shirt can be seen smiling to the camera next to Ali inside a club. “My brother for the same mother,” the caption reads.
It is unknown how many people were travelling in the cars at the time of the incident, with police saying everyone involved had left the scene before they arrived.
The men have not been charged over the arson attacks.
Court documents obtained by The Age show Sherwani has a long criminal history that includes charges for assault, recklessly causing injury, robbery, breaching bail, dealing with proceeds of crime and firearm possession.
Sherwani, who was found in possession of a Comanchero vest and tickets to the gang’s Christmas party during a series of police raids in 2014, was sentenced to six years in prison over the bashing of a former gang member in 2014.
Sherwani repeatedly kicked and punched the victim as he lay on the ground of a smash repair shop, breaking both his arms and leaving him with multiple facial injuries.
Police believe Sherwani, a Kurd from Iraq who came to Australia as a child to escape persecution, hasn’t been a patched member for a number of years but remains connected to the outlaw motorcycle club.
There have been as many as 12 arson attacks dating back to June 24, which include the torching of two suburban homes, three businesses and several cars. No one was injured in the firebombings but the attacks caused extensive damage to homes and businesses.
Detective Inspector Mick Daly said the Deer Park Bypass altercation and the incident on the Western Freeway had the potential to put other road users at significant and unnecessary risk.
“We already know that these groups have very little concern for the safety of the broader community, as seen by the number of tit-for-tat arson incidents that have occurred as part of this dispute,” Daly said.
He appealed to anyone with information to contact police.
“This is not acceptable behaviour in any way, and we have a significant police operation under way to disrupt these attacks and hold those involved to account,” he said.
“Today’s arrests are just the start, and I can assure the community that we will be relentless in doing everything we can to bring these incidents to a stop. Those linked to these groups can expect to see us sooner rather than later,” Daly said.
Gunes – appearing in court over the Ravenhall collision and confrontation, not the arson attacks – was remanded in custody to appear at the Sunshine Magistrates’ Court on July 29.
Anyone who witnessed the incident, with vision or information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential crime report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au
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