Mokbel was kidnapped and savagely beaten by associates of Condello's group and another freelance drug dealer, Nik "The Bulgarian" Radev.

It is believed that one of the men who delivered the beating was West Australian bikie and sometime Radev bodyguard, Troy Mercanti.

Sources said Mokbel was sporting two black eyes.

It has been reported that Veniamin, then a close friend of Carlton Crew elders, including Condello and Mick Gatto, was given the job of transporting the badly injured Mokbel to hospital and that Veniamin was convinced by Mokbel to change his allegiances.

Until then Mokbel had been associated with the Carlton Crew, but switched his own allegiance – and involvement in his drug business – to a violent gang of up-and-coming criminals from Melbourne's western suburbs.

Veniamin's close friend, Carl Williams put a bounty on the head his arch enemy, Jason Moran, in April 2003.

Veniamin and one of Williams' associates known as 'The Runner' would get $100,000 each.

The pair, armed and masked, hid in the back seat of a rented car outside the school expecting Jason to drop his children off.

But he did not show.

Next time, Roberta Williams picked a fight with Jason's wife Trish outside the school in the hope she would call her husband to come and support her.

Still no Jason.

Williams wanted Veniamin (who was still associating with Mick Gatto and the Carlton Crew) to set up Moran for an ambush but Benji was frightened Big Mick would realise he was working for Williams.

"Carl was becoming wary of Andrew and told me that he was concerned that Andrew was more in the Moran camp than in ours," the Runner later told police.

In fact, Williams believed Moran was trying to persuade Veniamin to become a double agent and kill Carl.

When Benji failed to deliver Moran to a planned ambush at the Spencer Street taxi rank near The Age building, Williams started to doubt his number one killer.

"From then on Carl would only meet Andrew on his own terms. That way Carl could be sure of his own safety. He did not trust Andrew any more," the Runner said.

Damien Cossu, Hizir Ferman, Christopher Orfanidis and a man who cannot be named faced Melbourne Magistrates' Court accused of murder.

Prosecutor Geoff Horgan, SC, told the court Mallia was involved in the illegal drug trade and closely associated with Nik "The Russian" Radev.

Mr Horgan said when Radev was shot dead, Mallia became worried about his own safety.

"The deceased became increasingly concerned he might be murdered because of his association with Radev," he said. "He was particularly fearful of Andrew Veniamin . . . and Carl Williams."

The court heard that Williams spoke to the unnamed accused and asked him to organise for Mallia to be interrogated and killed.

Mr Horgan said at Williams' behest, the man enlisted Mr Cossu and Mr Ferman, trusted by Mallia, to lure him to a Lalor home where he was gagged and tied to a chair in the garage.

The court heard the man and Veniamin then called Williams, who came to the address with $50,000 cash in a plastic bag.

A witness has told police Williams handed the money to the unnamed man and was taken to see Mallia, who had a rope tied around his neck but was at that stage still alive.

The witness said Williams ordered Mallia be questioned about the location of drug money he believed he'd hidden.

Mr Horgan said the man who cannot be identified was later heard referring to the garage as his "torture room", where he allegedly held a soldering iron to the ear of his victim.

Mr Horgan said one or other of Mr Cossu, 31, Mr Ferman, 26, Mr Orfanidis, 23, and the unnamed man, were responsible for Mallia's death, while the others acted in concert.

He was later charged with possessing cocaine, amphetamines and an unlicensed pistol.

After his arrest Benvenuto, 54, was interviewed by Purana detectives over the murder of Victor Peirce.

It is believed Benvenuto was formally cautioned and gave a "no comment" record of interview on legal advice.

Police have established that Peirce was waiting to meet Benvenuto when he was killed.

Frank and Vince Benvenuto are the sons of Liborio Benvenuto, who was the undisputed Godfather of Melbourne for more than 20 years before his death from natural causes on June 10, 1988.

Detectives have been told that after Benvenuto's murder a well-known underworld figure rang Peirce to tell him of the death. They remain intrigued as to how the figure knew of the hit before the information was made public.

Following the shooting, the hitman asked Peirce for a meeting. According to Peirce's wife, Wendy, the hitman wanted an assurance that Pierce would not seek revenge for his friend's murder. Mrs Peirce said (the hitman) "wanted a meeting with Victor and they met in a Port Melbourne park. He wanted to know if Victor was going to back up for Frank. He was his best mate. Victor took a gun and (the hitman) would have been armed."

Mrs Peirce said both gunmen agreed there would be no more violence. But police say those who organised the hit on Frank Benvenuto remained concerned that Peirce might decide to strike back and ordered his death.

Detectives are now investigating claims that Vince Benvenuto was asked to assist on behalf of a senior gangland identity.

The head of the Purana taskforce, Detective Inspector Gavan Ryan, said: "We are progressing on a number of gangland murders. We will keep going no matter how long it takes."

On December 24, 2007, John Silvester wrote in the Age that the Purana gangland taskforce had launched a long-term investigation into Italian organised crime, including several unsolved murders.

Silvester wrote that detectives are looking into five "hits" they suspect may have been ordered by leading Italian-Australian gangsters. These include the murders of Gerardo and Vince Mannella, Joe Quadara, Frank Benvenuto and Victor Peirce.

The cases have been officially switched from the homicide squad to Purana.

The first phase for the taskforce was to concentrate on the murders ordered by Carl Williams.

The second Purana phase was to investigate Tony Mokbel's drug syndicate, uncover his hidden financial network, and find him.

Detective Superintendent Richard Grant said Purana would take on new targets next year. He said intelligence files were being checked to identify a new crime ring that required long-term investigation.

Meanwhile, homicide investigators have found that a hitman who worked for Williams also worked for Italian gangsters. Veniamin was considered to be Williams' loyal lieutenant, but police now believe he carried out three contract killings for Italian gangsters before Williams recruited him.

They believe his first known victim was Joe Quadara, and he remains the suspect for the murders of Frank Benvenuto and Victor Peirce.

Quadara, 57, was ambushed at 3am on Friday, 28 May 1999, when he arrived for work outside a Malvern Road supermarket.

Two men armed with hand guns shot him repeatedly.

Police suspect Veniamin was the gunman in seven underworld murders. They say he shot dead Dino Dibra, on October 14, 2000, Paul Kallipolitis, whose body was found on October 25, 2002, and was the main suspect in the murder of standover man Nik Radev, who was shot dead on April 15, 2003. Radev had an appointment to see Veniamin on the morning he was murdered, and was also part of the torture team that grabbed and killed Mark Mallia in August 2003.

Police say that both Peirce and Veniamin worked for Benvenuto at different times when the apparently respectable businessman felt the need to intimidate enemies at the wholesale fruit and vegetable market.

The court heard Peirce] was gunned down by Andrew Veniamin in a hearing for the accused getaway driver, 26, of Sunshine, who appeared at a commital hearing, charged with the murder of Peirce six years before.

Defence barrister Robert Richter QC told the court there was no question that "Benji" Veniamin killed Peirce, saying he undoubtedly planned and carried out the execution.

Mr Richter said much of the case against his client was based on claims by Venimain made to other parties including an informer that may not be admissible.

The informer is due to give evidence tomorrow.

Orman was remanded in custody.

On March 12, 2008, an underworld associate was asked if it was okay for hitman Andrew Veniamin to kill Victor Peirce, a court witness said.

The witness, known as witness B for legal reasons, told the court he approached underworld associate Michael Laverde two weeks before Peirce's murder to ask if it was okay for Veniamin to kill him.

He told the court he discussed the planned hit with Mr Laverde at his dry-cleaning business in suburban Coburg.

"I approached him because I thought he may have been friends with Victor Peirce," witness B told the court.

"He didn't care, as it was nothing to do with him," he said.

Witness B said that in the underworld there was an unwritten understanding if someone had been targeted, that it was discussed.

"In the underworld, if people are going to get knocked they ask others about it," witness B said.

"Some ask and some don't.

"Usually in the underworld ... if we can try to stop a shooting we will."

Witness B told the court that Veniamin confessed to Peirce's murder.

He said that Veniamin told him that he and Orman had planned to meet Peirce in a car park but saw him in Bay Street and decided to pull up alongside his car.

Witness B has denied any role in Peirce's murder.

He also told the court that Veniamin, who was shot dead in a Carlton restaurant in 2004, confessed to murdering another crime figure Dino Dibra in 2000.

He alleged that Orman had also been Veniamin's get-away driver in that murder.

On March 13, 2008, the court was told Victorian detectives were not told of phone intercepts which could have led them to the alleged killers of Peirce until five years after he was shot dead.

Melbourne Magistrates Court was also told an underworld associate was asked if it was okay for hitman Andrew Veniamin to kill Peirce.

Purana Taskforce Detective Sergeant Boris Buick told the court Orman became a suspect in Peirce's murder after the police informer known only as witness B made statements to police in 2006.

Those statements were corroborated by Australian Crime Commission telephone intercepts, Det Sgt Buick told the court.

"It was when he (Orman) was first nominated," he said.

"And after a review of Australian Crime Commission telephone intercepts which corroborated his (witness B) statements."

But he told the court Purana detectives did not know about the phone intercepts until five years after Peirce's murder.

"Telephone intercepts were held by the Australian Crime Commission and were not released to us until five years later," Det Sgt Buick said.

He said police had information showing Orman picked up Veniamin on the night of Peirce's murder, and both men's mobile phones were not used between 8.30pm and 11pm.

"It was about 8pm or shortly after on May 1, 2002 (Orman picked up Veniamin)," Det Sgt Buick said. "Both Veniamin and Orman turned their phones off during the time of the murder."

Witness B told the court he approached underworld associate Michael Laverde two weeks before Peirce's murder to ask if it was okay for Veniamin to carry out the hit.

He said he discussed the planned hit with Mr Laverde at his dry-cleaning business in suburban Coburg.

"I approached him because I thought he may have been friends with Victor Peirce," witness B said.

"He didn't care, as it was nothing to do with him."

Witness B said it was common for underworld figures to discuss when someone had been targeted, in order to avoid deaths.

"In the underworld, if people are going to get knocked they ask others about it," witness B said.

"Some ask and some don't. Usually in the underworld ... if we can try to stop a shooting we will."

Witness B has denied any role in Peirce's murder.

The court also heard Mick Gatto helped Andrew Veniamin "set up"Peirce, who was killed before he could get revenge on the pair for killing Frank Benvenuto.

The underworld informer told police Peirce was murdered after he found out that Gatto had ordered Veniamin to kill Benvenuto.

Benvenuto, who hired Peirce as protection after a series of disputes at the market in the late 1990s, was shot dead outside his Beaumaris house on May 8, 2000.

"About two years after Frank's murder, Andrew said he heard Peirce had found out it was him who had killed Frank and he was worried that Peirce was going to get revenge on him and Mick Gatto. That's why he asked Mick to help him set up Peirce," the informer told police.

He said Veniamin had previously worked for Benvenuto but changed allegiances when Gatto found out Benvenuto had put a contract on his life.

"Andrew told me that Gatto gave him an ultimatum: that he come and work for him and take care of Frank Benvenuto or else Andrew would cop it," he said.

That evening Gatto denied the allegations, describing the informer as a renowned liar and the dead men as his friends, before adding: "The truth will come out."

The informer disputed rumours that Carl Williams ordered Peirce's murder because he reneged on a $200,000 deal to kill rival gangster Jason Moran. "(Williams) hadn't even met Andrew at this stage, as I was the one who introduced Andrew to Carl when he got out of jail after Peirce's murder," he told police.

Two statements made by the informer were tendered to Melbourne Magistrates Court.

The informer, a drug dealer who has confessed involvement in two gangland murders, said Orman was the driver for Veniamin

The informer said Gatto had Frank Benvenuto's brother, Vince Benvenuto, set up Peirce, to whom he was supplying drugs.

He said Vince Benvenuto arranged to meet Peirce at the rooftop car park of a Port Melbourne supermarket but, when Pierce didn't turn up, they arranged another meeting the following night.

The informer said Veniamin was "obsessed" with getting Peirce and became depressed when Pierce didn't show up to the first meeting. "Andrew's reputation was that of a killer. That was his profession and he loved it," he said. He said Veniamin asked for Gatto's help because he was having "a lot of trouble finding Peirce".

In the March 16, 2008, Sunday Herald Sun, Mick Gatto broke a three-year silence to refute claims he was behind several unsolved underworld hits.

Gatto and his legal team said they have information that contradicts the allegations made against him.

Mr Gatto's team may produce documentary evidence in a bid to clear his name.

Mr Gatto and his lawyers say his name is being tarnished despite the fact that there are no charges against him.

"I find these allegations scurrilous," Mr Gatto said.

"I've never arranged a hit on anyone."

Mr Gatto said he believed he was being defamed as part of a personal vendetta.

He said he believed it was happening because as far as police were concerned, "I'm the only one who's got through the loop".

"It's annoying for me. It's annoying for my family. It's annoying for everyone. Personally I just want to be left alone."

Mr Gatto said he had told police he was prepared to be interviewed if he was suspected of anything, but they had not taken up the offer.

He said that otherwise his life was good.

"I've got no complaints. I try to mind my own business and keep my head held high," Mr Gatto said.

But he said he believed modern policing was eroding civil liberties.

Saying that the police have a powerful tool, Mr Gatto said "they can put people up (in custody) for 23 hours a day with no contact with the outside world until they've rolled over".

"And once they've rolled over, they turn them into puppets. Accused people who are innocent until proven guilty are locked away in a little eight-by-four room," he said.

"They drive people to the point that they are so desperate, they say anything at all to get out of there."

Mr Gatto had avoided the limelight since being acquitted of murdering Veniamin in 2005.

He said the previous week that reports Veniamin was "like a son to him" were not accurate.

"I used to see him once a week, once a fortnight. He was a powerful little figure over in Sunshine," he said.

A Victoria Police spokewoman declined to respond to Mr Gatto's comments.

On May 16, 2008, the Brimbank Leader reported that Channel 7 was muscling in on rival Nine's ratings success through Melbourne's gangland war, commissioning a documentary on Andrew Veniamin.

Filming of the episode being made by the producers of television series Underbelly had started in Melbourne's west.

The Leader understood that the documentary about Veniaman was part of a series on crime figures being made by Underbelly producer Screentime for the Seven Network.

The documentary episodes were to focus on the making of a criminal mind.

"In each episode we are painting a biographical profile from child to adulthood and uncovering what part nature or nurture plays and whether there were signs along the way of what was to come," Screentime associate producer Susan Paget said in an email to the Leader.

"This is not a tabloid program and is filmed in the style of Australian Story.

"The program was to be based on a New Zealand series that has been very welcomed by victims rights groups, police and youth outreach groups.

"One of the episodes we are working on is Andrew Veniamin..."

Ms Paget spoke to and wrote to the Leader requesting suggestions on local people who knew Veniamin and might want to speak on camera about their association with him or his family, including before he turned to crime.

Producers had been in Veniamin's former suburb of Sunshine West trying to track down old friends, neighbours and authority figures with firsthand accounts of Veniamin.

Prominent western suburbs youth worker Les Twentyman said he spoke to the crew on camera this week about how young people could spiral out of school into unemployment and a life of crime, including drug use.

"I spoke about the youth issues around Brimbank in the days I was a youth worker," he said.

"I spoke of unemployment and the lure of drugs, and how we need to provide more opportunities so things like drugs don't became as attractive.

"It was more in the general sense, as I didn't really know Andrew."

Channel 7 confirmed it had commissioned the series. It could not provide a timeline for when it would be aired on the network.

Georgios Reglis, a close friend of Veniamin, was charged over the fatal shooting of Martino Ventrice, 34, in a lane next to a park in Melbourne's west on June 29, 2008.

Gangland links had not been ruled out.

The alleged gunman rang officers following the shooting at 6.10pm.

Reglis, 35, of West Footscray, was charged with manslaughter.

He was still trying to resuscitate the man when police and ambulance officers arrived. Sources said the accused gunman "idolised" Carl Williams and Veniamin, but was not part of the inner sanctum of the Williams crew.

It is understood Veniamin was best man at Reglis' wedding and godfather to his son.

It is believed the two families remained close after the shooting death of Veniamin.

The dead man, from the eastern suburbs, allegedly met Mr Reglis at McIvor Reserve off Francis St, Yarraville.

The victim was shot in the upper body. The alleged shooter performed CPR until paramedics arrived and took over, but the victim died at the scene about 6.30pm.

Detectives interviewed Mr Reglis and charged him with manslaughter and possessing a pistol and ammunition.

He was remanded in custody to appear at Melbourne Magistrates' Court.

The fatal gunshot was heard at the Yarraville-Footscray Bowls Club at the reserve.

One patron, who did not want to be named, said the victim was shot 400m from the clubrooms in a dead-end lane between the park and a factory.

"It's an isolated, dark spot known as a lover's lane," he said.

On June 30, 2008, police upgraded the charge against Reglis from manslaughter to murder.

He faced Melbourne Magistrates Court charged with murdering Ventrice.

Reglis was also charged with possessing an unregistered handgun and ammunition.

Reglis did not apply for bail. He sat leaning forward in the dock during a brief filing hearing wearing a blue windcheater with his dark hair and beard closely shaved.

He was remanded in custody to reappear in court on October 20.

On July 5, 2008, three $100,000 rewards were re-offered to help solve Melbourne gangland murders.

Detectives said they were closing in on several suspects in relation to the shootings of Victor Peirce, Paul Kallipolitis and Francesco Benvenuto.

They said they believe the killings are linked and offered a $100,000 reward a murder for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible.

Police said there were no rules stopping gangland figures such as Carl Williams receiving the rewards.

"I don't make that decision, but he is eligible to apply," Det Insp Bernie Edwards, of the Purana Taskforce, said.

Detectives believe Veniamin was the shooter in all three murders, but they want to identify other people involved.

"We do not believe Andrew worked alone," Det Insp Edwards said.

He said involvement in the murders could include financing the hits, or providing or disposing of firearms and cars.

Purana detectives were "definitely closing in on a number of suspects", he added, and warned it might be time for anyone involved to hand themselves in "before we come and get you".

The suspects were known within the "gangland fraternity", but Det Insp Edwards refused to say whether any of them were already in jail.

Det Insp Edwards said he hoped the rewards, which had been offered separately at different times in the past seven years, would help people do the right thing and contact police.

"The code of silence wavers a lot when there's money involved," he said.

The Victoria Police board of management determines whether a reward application is successful.

"It depends on the information they provide (and) whether there is a successful prosecution," Det Insp Edwards said.

"Solving the three murders would take police a great step towards finishing the gangland murders."

Det Insp Edwards said it was getting easier to crack underworld crime because, while older criminals were a "lot stauncher", modern crooks were "a little bit self-centred".

On July 14, 2008, Vince Benvenuto was charged with the Peirce killing.

He was quizzed during the afternoon by detectives from the Purana taskforce and later appeared at the Melbourne Magistrates Court to face one count of murder.

He was further remanded in custody to reappear at Melbourne Magistrates Court on 6 October.

Purana detectives had successfully applied in Melbourne Magistrates' Court for permission to question the 55-year-old.

Magistrate Dan Muling granted detectives four hours to interview Benvenuto.

Police said they were closing in on several suspects they believe were involved in the deaths.