Dino Dibra
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Dino Dibra | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 18 April 1975 |
| Died | 14 October 2000 (aged 25) |
Dino Dibra (18 April 1975 – 14 October 2000) was an Albanian-Australian suspected murderer and a victim of the infamous Melbourne gangland killings.
Between the age of 15 and 18, Dibra was charged with a number of petty offences, including possession of drugs (marijuana).
Imprisonments
At the age of 19, he was charged with threatening to kill, threatening to inflict serious injury and unlawful drug possession. He was jailed and fined for these offences. On 15 October 1996, Dibra was imprisoned again, this time for 18 months for serious reckless driving offences.[1]
During the sentence he was given, the judge noted that Dibra 'had the worst driving record I have ever seen'.
Drug dealer
Police believe that Dibra and an old friend Rocco Arico, were partners in selling and distributing cocaine, ecstasy and amphetamines. They were regular faces at the Dome nightclub in Prahran, Melbourne, as well as a Crown Casino nightclub.[1] The Purana Taskforce have stated on numerous occasions that Dibra was associated with several Melbourne underworld figures, including Mark Moran, Jason Moran, Andrew Veniamin, Carl Williams and Nik Radev at different times and it is believed that these associations pertained to high-volume drug supply.[1][2]
In 1998, a bouncer was shot outside the Dome Nightclub in Prahran.[1] Dibra was the principal suspect in the shooting and it is believed that the shooting followed a dispute relating to drug supply.
Kidnapping
On 2 August 1999, Dibra and friend Rocco Arico were among several men charged over the assault and kidnapping (in broad daylight) Richard Mladenich, an associate of Arico. At the time, police had bugged Dibra's house and car, seeking information in relation to the Dome bouncer shooting. The police subsequently raided Dibra's Taylors Lakes house, where the victim was still locked inside the boot.[1] Dibra and Arico were charged with a variety of offences over the incident.
Implication in underworld murders
On 23 November 1998 Charles Hegyalji, known as "Mad Charlie", was killed at his Caulfield home. Dibra was implicated in the murder and it is believed that it was drug-debt-related. Hegyalji's close friend, Mark Brandon "Chopper" Read, in the documentary film Fat Belly: Chopper Unchopped, revealed that he believes Dibra was the perpetrator.[3]
It is believed that underworld figure "Mad" Richard Mladenich was also shot dead by Dino Dibra in a room in the seedy St Kilda Esquire Hotel on 16 May 2000. Mark Moran and Rocco Arico were also suspects. It has been said that Mladenich's death held the key to Carl Williams death and an offered sum of $1m for information[2]
Murder
Dino Dibra was shot dead outside his Krambruk Street home in Sunshine West on 14 October 2000 at approximately 9:15 pm. Police suspect that Dibra's murder was payback.[4]
The Purana Taskforce stated publicly that Dibra was murdered by Andrew Veniamin, though they never charged Veniamin over Dibra's murder.[5]
It is believed that Dibra was murdered because he was in the way and had to go. Veniamin and Paul Kallipolitis are suspected to have shot Dibra.
However, some underworld rumors speculate that Nik "The Russian" Radev and Housam Zayat were his killers. After witnesses heard men talking in Russian accents. Radev's girlfriend also told police that she heard Radev setting up the killing with another man. She was murdered a week later.
Both Radev and Zayat were never questioned or treated as suspected by police.
Underbelly
The character of Dino Dibra is portrayed in the Nine Network's television series Underbelly by Daniel Amalm. He first appeared in episode four (Cocksure) and in his opening scene, Dibra was shown shooting a character named Bruno Bolotzi, who later died, outside a nightclub.
References
- ^ a b c d e http://www.melbournecrime.bizhosting.com/dino.dibra.htm[dead link]
- ^ a b http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/04/23/1082616328400.html
- ^ Fat Belly: Chopper Unchopped, Mark Brandon Read, @ 62 min. 21 sec. mark
- ^ http://150.theage.com.au/view_bestofarticle.asp?straction=update&inttype=1&intid=479
- ^ http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/03/26/1079939851234.html
External links
- Dino Dibra
- Taskforce to probe underworld killings, The Age, 23 June 2003