Rebels hitman ‘paid $6,000 and bag of marijuana for hit’

A Rebels bikie boss allegedly paid a hitman $6,000 and a kilogram of marijuana to kill his childhood friend for insulting his son.

Johnny Salafia was found dead at the front door of his home near Ulladulla with close-range bullet wounds to his head and chest in June 2013. 

His former friend Sami Hamalainen, 42, ordered the hit after their relationship deteriorated over a series of issues.

Johnny Salafia (pictured) was found dead at the front door of his home near Ulladulla with bullet wounds to his head and chest in June 2013 

A big factor in the falling out was when Salafia allegedly referred to Hamalainen’s son in an insulting manner.

The alleged Ulladulla chapter president was also angry the 38-year-old victim left the Rebels after just six months and was cavorting with a rival Comanchero.

‘I’m sick of Johnny running around and that, Robbie and his crew are coming down to fix Johnny,’ he allegedly told an associate the dead before Salafia was shot, according to the Daily Telegraph.

Police claim the last straw was when Salafia was seen drinking with the Comanchero associate at Ulladulla’s Marlin Hotel, police alleged.

Alleged hitman Robert McCloskey, 42, was arrested during dawn raids at a NSW south coast home over the shooting murder of the 38-year-old four years ago

Alleged hitman Robert McCloskey, 42, was arrested during dawn raids at a NSW south coast home over the shooting murder of the 38-year-old four years ago

He was allegedly paid $6,000 and a kilogram of marijuana for the hit by Rebels bikie boss Sami Hamalainen, 42, over a falling out

He was allegedly paid $6,000 and a kilogram of marijuana for the hit by Rebels bikie boss Sami Hamalainen, 42, over a falling out

Hamalainen then drove to Sydney to meet Robert McCloskey, 42, the gang’s former boss in that city, to convince him to carry out the murder, police allege.

McCloskey allegedly agreed in exchange for the kilogram of marijuana and the comparatively small sum of $6,000.

‘Hamalainen gave McCloskey and the males who had been with McCloskey at the time of Salafia’s murder two pounds of cannabis for their roles in the murder of Salafia,’ according to a police statement of facts.

Salafia was then shot dead at his front door while his family including sons were at his home, and his body found on his living room floor by his partner Sara Woodcock.

Hamalainen then supplied a 1999 white Subaru Forester as the getaway car and allegedly got two associates to hide and torch it afterwards.

The alleged Ulladulla chapter president was also angry the Salafia left the Rebels after just six months and was cavorting with a rival Comanchero

He then used a trailer to haul it farther into the bush in nearby Morton to make it harder to find, police alleged. 

The pair were finally caught after police received a tip-off about its location that eventually lead them to the alleged conspirators.

McCloskey was dramatically arrested in dawn raids at his Batemans Bay home on the NSW south coast on Thursday and charged with murder.

Hamalainen was nabbed at Sydney airport last Friday as he tried to board a flight to Finland, and also charged.

 

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