A record illegal tobacco and vape haul worth more than $70 million has been seized by border and police officers in multiple raids.
The ABF says the haul was seized under a Queensland Police operation (Xray Modred) that was set up in February to investigate suspected money laundering by an organised crime syndicate.
Investigators narrowed their search to a storage facility in Brendale, Brisbane, and identified links to a major criminal syndicate involved in money laundering and violence in the illegal illicit tobacco trade.
The ABF says their officers searched 17 storage sheds in Rothwell, North Lakes and Brendale over three days from Thursday, August 21.
During the search, officers found more than 30 million cigarettes, over 395,000 vapes and over 4650 kg of tobacco.
At the same time, police and health officers raided eight tobacconists and six home and seized 450,000 illegal cigarettes, over 6000 vapes, 500kg in tobacco and $1m in cash.
Almost $2m worth of fines (35) were also issued to tobacconist businesses.
The ABF estimates the total worth of the seized cigarettes (more than 30.5 million) and tobacco (5.1 tonnes) at over $53.8 million with a street value of $20.05 million for 400,000 vapes.
TOBACCO CRACKDOWN ‘THE WORK OF MANY’
ABF Acting Assistant Commissioner North James Copeman says the seizures are the result of strong multiagency collaboration.
“In less than a week, the ABF put a significant dent in two major illicit tobacco networks,” he says.
Qld Police detective Acting Chief Superintendent Craig McGrath believes their actions significantly disrupted the illegal trade even as investigations continue.
“Money laundering investigations are complex; unravelling these criminal networks requires experienced and specialist detectives,” acting Chief Superintendent McGrath says.
“These are significant seizures, and we will continue to target these criminal networks and those who seek to profit at the community’s expense.”
Queensland’s Chief Health Officer Associate Professor Catherine McDougall says the focus of the operation was on the large-scale storage of illegal tobacco and vapes.
“A growing challenge we are seeing is off-site bulk storage of illicit products in secure containers and sheds,” she says.
“Our federal and state law enforcement colleagues have strong powers to raid storage sheds, police money laundering and break criminal networks.”
“Health and law enforcement agencies are sharing intelligence and working closely to tackle the scourge of illicit tobacco and vapes.”
“The criminal network operates a number of tobacco retail outlets across the country which are known to sell illicit tobacco and vaping products and investigations remain ongoing, the ABF says.
This seizure took place less than a week after a separate joint operation in Queensland seized more than 7.5 million cigarette sticks, about 218kg of loose tobacco and over 26,000 vaping devices.
Anyone with any information can contact Border Watch at abf.gov.au/borderwatch.
Reports can be made anonymously.
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