Athan Boursinos, a 21-year-old Melbourne man with alleged links to a major underworld tobacco syndicate, was shot dead in a brazen daylight attack outside his family home in Wollert on Thursday morning. This was an execution style killing of Athan Boursinos, as Melbourne’s tobacco war takes a tragic turn, sending shockwaves through the northern suburbs and raising fresh alarms about the escalation of Melbourne’s ongoing illicit tobacco wars.
Just before 9am, Boursinos was ambushed as he approached his silver BMW on Champions Parade, only metres from the Korin Korin Child and Family Centre. Eyewitnesses reported hearing up to eight gunshots over a span of 20 seconds. Paramedics attempted to revive him at the scene, but he was pronounced dead shortly after.
The attacker fled in a getaway vehicle later found burnt out on Amery Drive in Reservoir—an apparent attempt to destroy forensic evidence.
Victoria Police have confirmed that Boursinos was known to authorities and had been scheduled to appear in court later that morning on charges including drug possession, weapons offences, theft, and traffic violations. He was also facing a second set of charges due to be heard in the coming weeks.
What makes this case even more striking is Boursinos’ background. He was the son of a retired Victoria Police sergeant. At the crime scene, both his father and distraught girlfriend were seen pleading with officers for answers, while detectives from the Homicide Squad began their investigation.
Detective Inspector Dean Thomas described the killing as “very deliberate and targeted,” urging anyone with dashcam footage or relevant information to come forward. “We are treating this as a serious and calculated murder, and we will be exploring all possible motives—including connections to organised crime,” he said.
Sources have linked Boursinos to Kazem “Kaz” Hamad, a fugitive tobacco boss currently believed to be operating from the Middle East. Hamad has been implicated in a sprawling underworld conflict that has engulfed Victoria’s illicit tobacco market in recent years, with attacks ranging from firebombings and extortion to multiple shootings.
The killing is being viewed by investigators as potentially another chapter in this violent saga. While police have not formally confirmed the motive, they are exploring whether the murder could trigger retaliatory violence in what has already become a bloody turf war over black market cigarettes.
The slaying of Athan Boursinos brings renewed scrutiny to Melbourne’s battle against organised crime, where violence is no longer confined to shadowy backrooms but is now erupting on suburban streets in broad daylight. The city’s residents—and law enforcement—are left bracing for what may come next.
