Western Australia's crackdown on organised crime has led to another arrest, with police charging a second man over a deliberately lit fire that destroyed a tobacco store in Midland.
Arrest Follows Intensive Investigation
The Serious and Organised Crime Division of the WA Police Force executed the arrest on Tuesday, 22 April 2025. The 30-year-old man from the Perth suburb of Beechboro now faces serious charges in connection with the incident.
He has been charged with one count of arson and one count of criminal damage by fire. The charges relate directly to the fire that gutted the tobacco shop on Great Eastern Highway in Midland during the early hours of a morning in late March.
Details of the Alleged Arson Attack
The fire, which is being treated as a deliberate act of arson, caused significant damage to the retail business. Emergency services were called to the scene but were unable to prevent extensive destruction to the property.
This arrest marks a significant development in the case, coming just weeks after another man, a 27-year-old from Koondoola, was charged with the same offences on 8 April 2025. The earlier arrest demonstrated the focused efforts of specialist police units on this type of criminal activity.
Ongoing Efforts Against Organised Crime
The involvement of the Serious and Organised Crime Division highlights the police's stance that this was not a random act of vandalism, but part of a broader pattern of organised criminal behaviour. Police have indicated that investigations into the fire, and the criminal networks potentially behind it, are continuing.
The 30-year-old Beechboro man is scheduled to appear before the Perth Magistrates Court on Wednesday, 23 April 2025, to answer the charges brought against him.
Authorities are urging anyone with information about the fire or related criminal activity to come forward, as they work to dismantle organised crime groups operating in the metropolitan area.
