Master Grocers Australia was featured in the Channel 10 News evening broadcast on June 18, 2026, as part of a wider report on Victoria’s crime statistics, with the segment highlighting the growing threat of extortion and black market alcohol targeting family grocery stores.
The broadcast reported that while Victoria’s overall crime rate has dipped slightly for the first time in four years, retail theft has soared by almost 12% and extortion cases have increased by almost 30% — with organised crime syndicates linked to the illicit tobacco wars now diversifying into black market booze.
The segment featured the story of a family grocer who received a handwritten extortion note at their door from an organised crime syndicate linked to illicit tobacco. When they failed to make contact, criminals followed through on the threat.
“Those six days were some of the worst days of my family’s life,” the grocer said.
MGA warned that the escalating extortion and retail crime crisis is threatening the viability of independent grocery stores across the state, with the illicit alcohol black market now emerging as the next major threat to lawful retailers and their communities.
For media enquiries, please contact:
Kath Markov, Marketing & Partnerships Manager
kath.markov@mgaiba.org.au
0452 660 506
