Victorian police have arrested Melbourne underworld figure Mick Gatto as part of Taskforce Hawk, an operation dedicated to investigating criminal behaviour in the construction sector. Detectives executed a warrant at a property in Mount Martha on Tuesday morning.
Police confirmed that a man and a woman, both in their seventies, were arrested at the property and are being interviewed by detectives. The ABC has confirmed that the man arrested is Mick Gatto, one of the most recognisable figures in Melbourne's criminal underworld.
Taskforce Hawk was originally established as Operation Hawk in July two thousand and twenty-four to specifically target criminal behaviour linked to the construction industry. It transitioned to a full taskforce in June two thousand and twenty-five, reflecting the scale and seriousness of the investigation.
Gatto has long been a controversial figure in Melbourne, with links to both the construction sector and organised crime. His associated labour-hire business came under scrutiny from the Victorian Labour Hire Authority, which moved to cancel the operating licence of a company linked to him.
The arrest has sent shockwaves through both the construction industry and political circles in Canberra. Senior government figures have been pressed on the issue, with the topic dominating political discussion in the capital ahead of question time in the House of Representatives.
The investigation has broader implications for the construction sector, which has faced sustained scrutiny over alleged criminal infiltration, blackmail and extortion. Previous charges laid as part of Taskforce Hawk related to allegations of blackmail committed at a business in Brooklyn in January two thousand and twenty-six.
The arrest of such a high-profile figure represents a significant escalation in law enforcement efforts to clean up the construction industry in Victoria. Gatto is expected to face formal charges following the completion of police interviews, with further details anticipated in the coming hours.