The search intensifies for those implicated in the alleged murder of a notorious Melbourne underworld figure, with authorities announcing a $1 million reward for information.
Athan Boursinos, aged 21, was reportedly en route to a court appearance when he was fatally attacked in Game Lane, Wollert, located in Melbourne’s northern outskirts, on July 31.
On Friday, Victoria Police unveiled CCTV footage featuring two individuals they are eager to interview in connection with Boursinos’s death.
Authorities emphasize that the individuals are not currently considered suspects in Boursinos’s murder; however, they hold potential value as witnesses.
In the footage, both men are clad entirely in black, with one sporting a sweatshirt featuring Tupac, while the other is seen wearing a Nike cap and sneakers.
Boursinos had previously been associated with the brazen daylight execution of underworld personality Sam ‘The Punisher’ Abdulrahim.
Underworld sources have suggested he acted as the getaway driver in the hit on Abdulrahim on January 28.
The champion kickboxer was gunned down by a team of assassins in the underground car park at Preston’s Quest Hotel in Melbourne’s north.
The body of Athan Boursinos after he was gunned down in Melbourne’s outer north in July
Boursinos, 21, is believed to have been on his way to court when his assassins struck in Game Lane, Wollert, in Melbourne’s outer north, on July 31
Victoria Police released CCTV footage of two men they wish to speak with over the killing of 21-year-old Athan Boursinos. It is not suggested that the men are in any way involved in the killing of Boursinos, only that police wish to speak to them
Abdulrahim had been a key player in Melbourne’s ongoing ‘tobacco wars’, which has seen shops around the state torched in a deadly turf conflict.
Boursinos had been part of a street crew controlled by illicit tobacco mogul Kazem Hamad and his cousin, suspected drug trafficker Ahmed Al Hamza.
Police have claimed his fatal shooting was ordered by a NSW crime syndicate whose members had travelled down to Melbourne just days earlier.
The men allegedly shot Boursinos then fled in a stolen Nissan Patrol before transferring into a stolen Volkswagen Golf.
They then set the Volkswagen on fire and changed cars again into a BMW.
Police are yet to determine a motive for the killing but are probing Boursinos’ organised crime connections.
Boursinos was recruited to a street crew in his late teens.
In 2022, police intelligence identified him as part of a gang linked to drive-by shootings, home invasions and violent assaults.
Sam ‘The Punisher’ Abdulrahim was executed in January in a brazen gangland hit
On the day he died, Boursinos was approached by unknown men in the laneway behind his Champions Parade home shortly before 9am.
He was peppered with bullets and left lying dead on the driveway.
Detective Acting Superintendent Mark Hatt said the hit was performed in broad daylight and just metres from Athan’s family home and near a local kindergarten.
‘They ambushed Athan in the laneway as he approached his vehicle,’ he told reporters at a press conference on Friday.
‘Based on CCTV and forensic evidence, the attack was professional; multiple shots fired at close range, with two bullet holes in the driver’s door and shattered glass from a broken window. Athan was hit several times and died at the scene.
Supt Hatt said intelligence pointed to the hit being ordered by a NSW-based crime crew, possibly connected to illicit tobacco syndicates and drug trafficking networks.
‘Athan had associations with street crews in Melbourne’s northern suburbs, including links to known figures in the organised crime world,’ he said.
‘We’re exploring motives, including potential disputes over territory, unpaid debts, or retaliation for prior incidents.
‘One line of inquiry involves Athan’s suspected involvement in an earlier attempted murder of a prominent gangland figure in January this year.’
Boursinos was reportedly part of a crew controlled by suspected tobacco mogul (pictured)
Superintendent Mark Hatt has warned an interstate hit squad police will catch them
He said detectives were close to making arrests and had offered a $1million reward in a bid to bring the killers to justice.
The detective said Boursinos was identified as being part of a street crew involved in drive-by shootings, home invasions and assaults potentially tied to illicit tobacco operations run by figures like Hamad and Al Hamza.
‘This wasn’t random – it was a calculated execution to settle scores or assert dominance,’ he said.
‘The fact that the offenders crossed state lines underscores the national reach of these syndicates.
Police believe the assassins likely used a semi-automatic handgun to kill Boursinos.
Shell casings recovered from the scene are being analysed by ballistics experts.
Pressed on motive, Supt Hatt said he would not speculate, but had his suspicions about why it happened.
‘Let’s be clear: this reeks of organised crime payback. Athan was no saint; he was deep in it, running with crews tied to the multimillion-dollar illicit tobacco trade that’s flooded our streets,’ he said.
‘We’re talking fake vapes, contraband cigs, and the violence that comes with protecting turf. His crew had beefs, debts, betrayals, power plays. Crossing state lines for a hit like this? That’s syndicate-level, not street-level impulse.’
