The capture of Kazem Hassad, a man believed to be a major underworld figure, has led to a significant breakthrough for authorities. Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett announced that Hassad, who was their “number one target,” is now in custody in Iraq.

The Supreme Judicial Council of Iraq issued a statement revealing that officials had arrested Hassad, known there as “Kadhim Malik Hamad Rabah al-Hajami,” as part of an ongoing investigation into drug-related crimes.

In their announcement, the council described him as “one of the most dangerous men in the world.”

Hassad was expelled from Australia back to Iraq in 2023 after completing a prison sentence for drug offenses.

According to a report cited by The Age, the Hamad syndicate has been implicated in numerous severe crimes, including arson, extortion, and shootings, all connected to illegal tobacco activities and the smuggling and distribution of illicit tobacco products.

The Iraqi Supreme Judicial Council notice says Hamad was detained “in response to an official request from Australia”.

“The accused is one of the most dangerous wanted men in the world,” the release said.

It accused Hamad of involvement with prominent Australian and Middle Eastern crime gangs.

Barrett, who last year declared Hamad the AFP’s top target, issued a statement today saying Iraqi authorities had made the decision to arrest Hamad themselves.

“Late last year, the AFP provided information to law enforcement officials in Iraq about this alleged offender,” she said.

“Iraqi officials have made an independent decision to arrest this alleged offender after launching their own criminal investigation.”

Barrett said the AFP had “supercharged” its efforts to target Hamad internationally, including deploying officers overseas.

“This arrest is a significant disruption to an alleged serious criminal and his alleged criminal enterprise in Australia,” Barrett said.

Hamad is suspected of coordinating the arson attack that killed innocent Melbourne woman Katie Tangey in January 2025 at a Truganina home.

Police said the alleged attack was targeted but took place at the wrong address, and that Tangey had no link to the illicit tobacco trade.

A $500,000 reward has been offered for information over the firebombing.

Hamad is also suspected of involvement with the arson attack on the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne in December 2024, according to The Age law and justice editor Chris Vedelago, who broke the story this morning.

Vedelago told 3AW this morning he had been “stunned” by the news.

“I never actually thought it would happen,” he said.

Vedelago said it was Hamad’s alleged involvement in the synagogue attack which motivated the push for an arrest, with investigators suspecting he had acted with the involvement of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard.

Australia ejected the Iranian ambassador from the country last August after federal police alleged the Guard was behind a number of antisemitic attacks around the country.

The federal attorney-general’s office declined to disclose any details.

“As a matter of longstanding policy, the Australian government does not disclose whether it has made or received an extradition request to or from another country or comment on the details of its consideration of particular cases,” a spokesperson said.

9news.com.au has contacted the Australian Federal Police for comment.

The Age investigative reporter Richard Baker said the arrest was a ”massive coup” for Australian law enforcement.

“There’s a perception that once you get out of the country… we’re hit and miss at getting them back,” he told 3AW.

He said the arrest might put fear into a number of underworld figures who resided overseas but still were involved in affairs in Australia.