Kazem Hamad: Mugshot of the Australian Federal Police’s ‘No.1‘ target under arrest in Iraq released
A mugshot of the Australian Federal Police’s ‘No. 1’ target under arrest in Iraq has been released as members of his alleged drug smuggling syndicate are warned their criminal enterprise will be dismantled.
A mugshot of the Australian Federal Police’s “No. 1” target under arrest in Iraq has been released as members of his alleged drug smuggling syndicate back home are warned their criminal enterprise will be dismantled.
Kazem “Kaz” Hamad, the exiled underworld boss and illicit tobacco kingpin, was detained last month on behalf of Australian authorities, accused of being “one of the most dangerous men in the world.”
Now with the permission of Iraq’s National Centre for International Judicial Cooperation, AFP Commissioner Krissy Barrett has released an image of Hamad in custody while urging his criminal associates to “look long and hard” at the photo.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.“And I want to be very clear — just because Hamad is in custody, the AFP’s job is not done,” Commissioner Barrett said in a statement on Tuesday evening in relation to Operation Carmen, the AFP’s investigation into his syndicate.
“Iraqi authorities made an independent decision in January to arrest Hamad after launching their own criminal investigation. The AFP can confirm Hamad remains in custody in a secret location in Iraq.
“The AFP is supporting this independent Iraqi investigation and is providing relevant operational information that relates to crimes the AFP believe Hamad or his syndicate have committed or directed in Australia.”
Commissioner Barrett said Hamad’s arrest, a lack of leadership, infighting, and dysfunction within the syndicate was all creating new opportunities for investigators attached to Operation Carmen.
“The AFP will use every partnership, capability, and legislative power to dismantle this dangerous syndicate and identify every single individual who is linked to this crime gang,” she said.
“The AFP will work closely with State and territory law enforcement agencies, which have had significant success in arresting, disrupting and charging alleged syndicate members.”
Born in Iraq in 1984, the infamous criminal was moved to Australia in 1998 when his family migrated and by 2001 Hamad had been arrested for the first time, aged 17.
Since then, Hamad has been involved in multiple high-profile crime cases, including kidnapping, bashing, drug trafficking and organised crime involvement.
In 2015, he was moved to Christmas Island following his Australian permanent residency status being revoked.
There, he spent eight years in the Immigration Detention Centre, before he was deported to Iraq.
