The body of the sister of jailed Melbourne crime lord George Marrogi is said to be stolen from her crypt and fed to dogs in a wild attempt to torment the gangster behind bars.
Meshilin Marrogi, 30, died in 2021 from complications related to Covid-19.
In July, thieves wore gas masks and broke open her coffin in a crypt at Preston General Cemetery, north of the city's CBD.
Deranged criminals planned to steal the body of Meshilin Marrogi (photo) and feed it to wild dogs
Although the thieves are believed to have stolen a $100,000 diamond ring from the finger of Marrogi's deceased sister, they left her corpse in disarray at the scene of the accident.
Now it can be revealed that the crazed criminals not only planned to rob Meshilin's grave, but also steal her body and film it as it was torn apart by fangs.
On Friday, police released images of the men they believe responsible for the depraved crime.
CCTV footage showed the thieves wearing gas masks outside the mausoleum doors, dressed in black hoodies and trousers.
Underworld sources claimed that the thieves actually planned to steal Meshilin's body to film it being destroyed by dogs. The age reported.
The video would be delivered to Marrogi and Meshilin's body, dumped at another location to further torment his family.
The dastardly plot was only thwarted by a broken elevator.
Meshilin Marrogi's coffin was broken open by two men on July 30 in a sick plot to desecrate her body
Photos of George Marrogi and his sister in happier times. They were put on display for her funeral, which Marrogi missed because he was in prison
Meshilin had been treated as a deity by the Marrogi clan.
Marrogi was behind bars when she died and was unable to attend her funeral.
Footage of the funeral, filmed to share with the captured Marrogi, showed his family lamenting her open casket.
Meshilin, a beautician by profession, was believed to be deeply involved with Marrogi's group, the Notorious crime family.
She had been with Marrogi when he traveled to the Highpoint Shopping Center to look at the type of hoodie he wanted to wear when he killed rival Kadir Ors in 2016.
In May last year Marrogi was sentenced by the Supreme Court of Victoria to a total of 32 years in prison for Ors's murder.
Detective Inspector Graham Banks of the Lunar Taskforce described the attack on Meshilin's grave as 'a new low''.
'I've never seen anything like it. It's a new low, that's for sure,” he said.
“Overall, I don't think this will be repeated.
'I think on reflection, everyone involved would have considered themselves cowards… every single one of them would have known that what they were doing was completely outrageous.
“I think on reflection they wouldn't have done what they did, but they didn't have the strength of character to say no.”
George Marrogi prepares to kill Kadir Ors. Meshilin Marrogi had helped him choose his murder outfit
Meshlin Marrogi (right) with George Marrogi's partner, Antonietta Mannella, who was imprisoned for helping Marrogi run his criminal empire from behind bars
Inspector Banks declined to speculate on what the thieves planned to do with Meshilin's body if they got away with it.
“We have no clarity on the purpose of its removal, but it was certainly, in our opinion, to cause friction and pain to Meshilin's brother, George Marrogi,” he said.
The prime suspect is another feared gang boss who was recently released from prison and deported.
The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, ran his Australian crime enterprise from Dubai until Victoria police put local authorities on alert and forced him to flee to a country with no extradition arrangements with Australia..
Inspector Banks said Marrogi's rival was deeply involved in the proceedings illegal tobacco war, with several outlets going up in flames in recent months.
Police took the unusual step of appealing to the criminal underworld in the hope of piecing together the final elements of their investigation.
“It has been no secret within the criminal community that this crime was committed and who committed it,” Detective Inspector Banks said.
Police remain concerned about what could happen to the perpetrators if Marrogi's accomplices catch them before she does.
“If their identity is publicly known to those who oppose them, they are at significant risk because of the type of crime and the anger it has caused,” Detective Inspector Banks said.
Anyone with information is urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or log on to www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.