Teen Charged in Melbourne Arson Plot Linked to ‘Commission’ Threat Notes

Police have charged a 17-year-old boy after a search of his Moonee Valley residence uncovered eight mobile phones, numerous SIM cards and evidence linking him to a series of notes left on shopfronts across Melbourne and regional Victoria. The notes, either handwritten or typed, urged owners to contact a suspected organised-crime group referred to as “the Commission,” and appeared shortly before arson attacks on premises such as a Richmond tobacco store.

The teenager is now charged with trafficking cocaine, amphetamine and ketamine, possessing counterfeit currency and refusing to aid investigators. The investigation falls under Operation Eclipse, launched in April to dismantle a syndicate believed to orchestrate arson, extortion and control of illicit drug and tobacco markets. Detective Inspector Graham Banks said the police aim to disrupt every tier of the organisation and warned that youths lured by promises of easy money face serious, life-changing consequences. Authorities emphasised the broader threat to community safety and the livelihoods of business owners.