A series of arson attacks targeting Melbourne’s hospitality and liquor sectors has drawn attention to the increasing involvement of teenagers in organised criminal activity, with police warning that young offenders are being recruited as low-cost operatives to carry out high-risk attacks.

Investigators examining the attacks, which have been linked to what authorities describe as the city’s ongoing “hospitality wars,” say criminal groups are increasingly turning to juveniles because they are viewed as expendable and face less severe legal consequences than adult offenders.

Law enforcement officials have indicated that some young people involved in the attacks were allegedly offered less than A$1,000 to carry out acts of arson.Police have argued that organised crime groups are exploiting the differences between youth and adult sentencing frameworks, allowing criminal networks to distance themselves from direct involvement while relying on minors to execute attacks.

Authorities say the trend presents a significant challenge because it combines organised criminal planning with the recruitment of young people who often have limited prior contact with the justice system.

The issue has become more prominent following several attacks on hospitality-related businesses across Melbourne, including the firebombing of the Keysborough headquarters of liquor company 80 Proof on April 23 and a fire at Melbourne CBD venue Bar Bambi two days later.

More recently, Ladida nightclub was attacked on May 5 as part of the broader pattern of incidents under investigation.Two teenagers charged over some of the earlier attacks have already been sentenced and released into the community. The youths, aged 15 and 16, pleaded guilty to offences connected to the attacks on 80 Proof and Bar Bambi.

According to court outcomes, both teenagers had no prior convictions before the offences.The court imposed youth supervision orders rather than custodial sentences. Such orders require offenders to comply with strict conditions while remaining in the community for a specified period.

One of the teenagers was released without a conviction being recorded.The sentencing outcomes have prompted concern among some business owners affected by the attacks, particularly those who suffered significant financial losses. The owners of 80 Proof said the fire caused extensive damage to company property and inventory, with the destruction of a building valued at more than A$3 million and stock estimated at approximately A$1 million.

In a joint statement, the owners questioned whether the punishment reflected the seriousness of the offending. They argued that the consequences extended beyond property damage and had significant effects on employees and business operations.“This was not a minor offence,” the owners said, noting that the fire resulted in the loss of eight jobs and severely affected the livelihoods of another 15 workers.

They said many of those impacted had families who depended on the business for income.The owners also pointed to comments made during sentencing proceedings, saying the judge acknowledged the seriousness of the offences and noted that nobody had been physically injured.

However, they argued that the broader consequences of the attack should also be considered.“Even the judge reportedly acknowledged it was serious offending and that it was lucky nobody was physically hurt,” the statement said. “The reality is a lot of people were hurt by their actions; emotionally, financially, professionally and psychologically.”

The business owners said they believed the penalties imposed did not adequately reflect the damage caused by the attack and expressed concern about the potential message sent by the sentencing outcome.“At the moment, it feels like victims, businesses and employees are the ones carrying the real punishment while the actual offenders face very little accountability,” the statement said.

“We do not believe justice was served today, and we are deeply concerned by the message this sentencing sends.”The case highlights the tension between youth justice principles, which often emphasize rehabilitation for first-time offenders, and the concerns of businesses and victims seeking accountability for serious crimes.

Courts typically take into account factors including age, prior criminal history, guilty pleas and prospects for rehabilitation when determining sentences for juvenile offenders.

Police, meanwhile, have continued to focus on the broader criminal networks believed to be behind the attacks. Investigators view the teenagers who carried out individual incidents as only one part of a larger criminal ecosystem in which organisers recruit younger people to perform tasks while attempting to shield senior figures from direct legal exposure.

Law enforcement officials say disrupting those recruitment pipelines has become a central objective. Authorities have stressed that the response requires cooperation across government agencies and law enforcement bodies rather than focusing solely on individual offenders.

The comments reflect growing concern among investigators that organised crime groups are adapting their methods in response to policing pressures. By using minors with little or no criminal history, criminal networks can reduce costs, complicate investigations and limit the risk of lengthy prison sentences for those carrying out attacks.

For businesses caught up in the violence, however, the immediate concern remains the damage caused by the attacks and the uncertainty surrounding the motives behind them. An owner of 80 Proof said the company still does not know why it was targeted.

According to the owner, police have advised that the incident is being treated as part of the broader pattern of arson attacks under investigation.Authorities have not publicly identified the individuals or groups believed to be directing the attacks, and investigations into the wider network remain ongoing.

Police continue to examine links between multiple incidents across Melbourne’s hospitality and liquor industries as they seek to determine who organised the attacks and why specific businesses were selected.

Mérida Sánchez, 66, is the first of 10 current or former Mexican officials indicted by U.S. prosecutors last month to appear before a court. Federal authorities accused him and others of protecting cartel operations and helping move large quantities of narcotics into the United States.

The former security official did not enter a plea during the hearing and was ordered detained pending further proceedings. Court records showed he is scheduled to return to court on June 1. A message seeking comment was left with his lawyer.

Prosecutors charged Mérida Sánchez with narcotics importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy involving prohibited weapons offenses. If convicted, he faces a potential prison sentence ranging from 40 years to life.

The indictment also named Rubén Rocha Moya and Juan de Dios Gámez Mendívil among the accused officials. Both men announced temporary leaves of absence after the charges were unveiled but have not been taken into custody.

Mexico’s Security Cabinet said on social media that Mérida Sánchez crossed into the United States from Hermosillo, Sonora, on Monday and was detained by the U.S. Marshals Service at the Nogales border crossing in Arizona before being transferred to New York.Mérida Sánchez served as secretary of public security in Sinaloa from September 2023 until resigning in December 2024.

In that role, he oversaw the state police force and senior law enforcement appointments.According to the indictment, Mérida Sánchez received at least $100,000 in monthly cash payments from “Los Chapitos,” a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel led by sons of imprisoned cartel leader Joaquín ‘El Chapo’ Guzmán.

Prosecutors alleged the payments were made in exchange for targeting rival groups and leaking sensitive law enforcement information.Federal authorities said Mérida Sánchez warned cartel members about at least 10 planned raids on drug laboratories and safe houses during 2023, allowing operatives to remove drugs, weapons and personnel before authorities arrived.

Some of the accused officials are affiliated with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum’s Morena party. Following the indictments, Sheinbaum said Mexico would not shield any official proven to have committed crimes, but argued that any prosecution involving Mexican public officials should occur within Mexico’s judicial system.

Her remarks came amid heightened tensions with U.S. President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly threatened military action against drug cartels operating in Mexico.Mexico’s Foreign Ministry and Security Cabinet said they remain in institutional communication with U.S. authorities under existing bilateral cooperation frameworks.“El Chapo” Guzmán was convicted in the United States in 2019 and sentenced to life imprisonment.

Another senior cartel figure, Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada, pleaded guilty last year to U.S. drug trafficking charges and is scheduled to be sentenced in July.