About 40 prisoners will be the first people in Victoria charged with sabotage for their role in a jail riot sparked by a smoking ban in the state's prisons.
They are among more than 100 current and former inmates to be charged over the violence at the Melbourne Remand Centre in Ravenhall, which began on June 30, the day before the smoking ban took effect.
That includes 13 former inmates who were arrested on Thursday and will be charged on summons over their alleged role in the riot, which caused up to $12 million damage.
The arrests follow investigation by Taskforce Gallium, formed the day after the riot, which gathered more than 300 witness statements and viewed hours of CCTV footage to identify the rioters, many of whom were disguised.
Assistant Commissioner Steve Fontana say all will be charged with riot, with about 40 to be charged with sabotage and others face offences such as criminal damage.
Sabotage offences were introduced by the Victorian government in 2003 as an anti-terror measure.
Another six former inmates will be arrested in coming days, but most accused are still in custody.
"I think this is a bit of a wake up to those contemplating something like this in the future," Mr Fontana said.
"I think some of the people looking at those charges will be quite nervous."
Prisoners broke doors and furniture, set fires and torched bedding, wrecked staff areas and smashed toilet bowls and basins before heavily armed police quelled the 12-hour uprising early on July 1.
Inmates remained in lockdown for more than two months as riot damage was repaired.
Precautionary lockdowns, or other restricted regimes, were put in place at other big prisons to prevent copycat flare-ups.
WHAT IS SABOTAGE?
Damaging a public facility by committing a property offence or by causing an unauthorised computer function.
Offenders will be deemed to have intended to cause major disruption to government functions; or major disruption to the use of services by the public; or major economic loss.
MELBOURNE REMAND CENTRE RIOT BY THE NUMBERS
Damage bill: up to $12m
Arrests: 13 on Thursday, six to come
Police involved in arrests: around 50
Total number to be charged; more than 100
Sabotage charges: about 40
Witness statements collected: more than 300
Source: Victoria Police
