In brief
Victoria Police announced on November 6 that Operation Phoenix, which launched in July to curb shootings and arson in north‑western Melbourne, will be expanded city‑wide. The effort already secured more than 230 arrests linked to organised crime and will add overnight patrols, targeted interventions and resources from a separate bust on burglaries and vehicle thefts that has made over 5,800 arrests since 2023. Police warn that the trend of young offenders being used to commit serious crime poses a serious risk to the broader community.
Victoria Police announced on November 6 that Operation Phoenix, which launched in July to curb shootings and arson in north‑western Melbourne, will be expanded across the city. The operation will now include dedicated overnight patrols, proactive target‑based interventions and cooperation with the separate operation that tackles aggravated burglaries and vehicle thefts.
Police say the expanded effort will focus on high‑risk areas in Melbourne’s CBD, southern and eastern suburbs, while saturating known hotspots where organised crime gangs have used arson and drive‑by shootings to intimidate neighbours and influence local markets.
Since its launch, Operation Phoenix has led to more than 230 arrests, many of them linked directly to organised crime and extortion. The additional operation that confronts burglaries and vehicle thefts has produced over 5,800 arrests since 2023.
In a statement, the police highlighted a growing concern that young offenders are being exploited to carry out serious crimes on behalf of other criminals. Police also warned that arson is increasingly used as a tool to exert control and influence within organised networks, imposing significant risk on the broader community.
Extending the Safety Net Across Melbourne
Under the expanded operation, officers will conduct overnight patrols that target violent crime across metropolitan Melbourne starting this Sunday. Targeted interventions will be directed at known offenders, while patrols will maintain a visible presence in areas that have been recorded as hotspots for shootings and arson. The strategy also synchs resources with the burglary and vehicle theft unit, aiming to disrupt the supply chain that runs crime‑as‑a‑service operations.
The move comes amid an uptick in the use of explosives and firearms by organised networks, and represents a coordinated effort to reduce the threat these groups pose to everyday life in Melbourne’s suburbs and city centre.
