Detectives from Taskforce Lunar have charged two men overnight as part of their investigation into a shooting in Jacana earlier this year.
A 30-year-old man and a 26-year-old man, both from Truganina, were arrested yesterday afternoon with assistance from the Special Operations Group.
Police subsequently executed warrants at four properties, two residential addresses in Truganina and two businesses in Werribee.
Both men were interviewed and have each been charged with attempted murder, intentionally cause serious injury in circumstances of gross violence, reckless conduct endangering life, prohibited person possess firearm, prohibited person use a firearm and other associated firearm offences.
The pair will face Melbourne Magistrates' Court today.
Yesterday's arrests follow an incident just after 12pm on 7 May where police were initially called to reports a man had been shot on the M80 Ring Road in Jacana.
Responding officers were unable to locate the man and police were subsequently notified that a man had presented to a hospital in Parkville with gunshot wounds.
The 51-year-old Truganina man was treated for life threatening upper body injuries.
Detectives believe the victim had been driving his vehicle from the Wyndham area towards Broadmeadows when he stopped at traffic lights at the intersection of the Western Ring Road and Pascoe Vale Road.
It's alleged a vehicle pulled alongside him and the victim was shot by the occupants of that vehicle.
The victim was then conveyed to hospital by family members.
Police will allege the targeted shooting took place as a result of a dispute over allegiances, linked to two key organised crime syndicates involved in the illicit tobacco trade.
The investigation remains ongoing and police believe a number of other people may be connected to the incident.
Detectives are keen to speak to anyone with any knowledge of the shooting and those involved.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au
Quotes attributable to Detective Inspector Graham Banks, Taskforce Lunar:
"This is a significant update following an incident of reckless and extreme public violence.
"This occurred in the middle of the day and the consequences of this shooting could have been far more extreme and potentially resulted in innocent members of the community being killed or seriously injured.
"Police will allege this was a contracted and targeted attack, funded by the enormous wealth that is generated through illicit tobacco.
"We have seen time and time again that these crime syndicates have no regard for the safety of the broader public as they attempt to defend those profits."
