Tears flowed in the public gallery at the County Court as Ghazi Haddara, a member of one of Melbourne’s most notorious crime families, and Hussein El-Hawli were sent down for their roles in a cold, calculated tobacco heist that netted more than $7 million worth of cigarettes from a DHL warehouse in Melbourne’s west.

This wasn’t some desperate smash-and-grab. This was a well-planned, well-executed operation that relied on timing, deception and a crew who each played their part to perfection.