Underworld figure Suleiman ‘Sam’ Abdulrahim has survived another assassination attempt as police investigate whether he was lured outside before he was shot.
The shooting outside the Thomastown home in Melbourne’s north of Abdulrahim, a professional boxer known as ‘The Punisher’, is believed to be the latest development in the tobacco wars in the city’s underworld.
It is believed shots were fired outside Abdulrahim’s Larch Street home at around 3.15am on Friday morning.
Victoria Police said Armed Crime Squad detectives are currently investigating the shooting.
“Police are working to determine the exact circumstances of the incident and investigations are ongoing,” the report said.
Underworld figure Suleiman ‘Sam’ Abdulrahim (pictured) has survived another suspected assassination attempt after a shooting outside his Melbourne home
Neighbors reportedly heard the commotion before the perpetrators fled the scene.
Abdulrahim, 32, escaped serious injury but officers are believed to be investigating whether he was deliberately led from his home to be executed.
The shooting followed another serious attempt on Abdulrahim’s life in 2022 and a series of fires in tobacco shops.
Illegal tobacco syndicates are suspected of being responsible for 75 arson attacks since March last year, 49 of which were against tobacconists.
In 2022, Abdulrahim was peppered with bullets during his cousin’s funeral procession on June 25, sparking fears that Melbourne’s underworld could explode in a wave of violence.
He was shot eight times, including four in the chest, suffering serious damage to his lungs, kidneys and liver.
Detective Inspector Mark Hatt said at the time that there was ‘significant concern’ among the local community about a possible crime explosion.
The shooting follows a series of fires at tobacco shops in Melbourne, believed to be organized by illegal tobacco syndicates
“We understand that incidents such as these cause significant concern in the wider community,” he said.
‘Do not worry; the indiscriminate use of illegal firearms remains a major concern for Victoria Police. We want to tackle those involved in these types of violations and hold them accountable.”
Anyone with information or CCTV footage is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.
More to come.
