Smoked! Illegal tobacco syndicate smashed as strike force officers seize 60 MILLION cigarettes destined for the black market

JOY JOSHI
4 July 2018
DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA

Smoked! Illegal tobacco syndicate smashed as strike force officers seize 60 MILLION cigarettes destined for the black market

• A joint investigation seized 57 million cigarettes imported from Southeast Asia
• Eight people charged for importing illegal tobacco products in the operation 
• The ACIC, ABF, QPS and NSW Police Force busted an organised crime syndicate
• Police say the smuggled products were identical to legally imported cigarettes

A joint investigation by federal and state authorities has thwarted an illegal tobacco syndicate smuggling millions of cigarettes in the country.

The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission and Australian Border Force busted an organised crime syndicate smuggling about 20 million cigarettes into Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane ports, The Australian reports. 

The operation has seized 57 million cigarettes and charged eight people for importing illegal tobacco products in connected operations.  

The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission and Australian Border Force busted an organised crime syndicate smuggling about 20 million cigarettes into Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane ports

The operation has seized 57 million cigarettes and charged eight people for importing illegal tobacco products in connected operations

The joint investigation involved officers from the Australian Border Force (ABF), the Department of Home Affairs, the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC), the Queensland Police Service (QPS) and NSW Police Force

Two men have been charged with money laundering and were arrested after being caught with $1.3 million in cash on Queensland’s Gold Coast. 

The authorities raided the shipments carrying thousands to millions of illicit cigarettes being imported from Southeast Asia. 

ACIC Queensland manager Charlie Carver told The Australian most of the smuggled products were identical to legally imported cigarettes, causing ‘hindrance’ in their ability to catch them sooner.

Two men have been charged with money laundering and were arrested after being caught with $1.3 million in cash on Queensland’s Gold Coast

The investigation began last year and was known as Operation Whitesafe at the national level

The authorities raided the shipments carrying thousands to millions of illicit cigarettes being imported from Southeast Asia

The investigation began last year and was known by different names at different levels.

The joint operation’s first target was a Queensland syndicate, and the investigation was called Operation Venti by the state police and Operation Leppadoid by the Australian Border Force.

It spread to other states, linking to NSW and Victoria and became known nationally as Operation Whitesafe.

The joint investigation involved officers from the Australian Border Force (ABF), the Department of Home Affairs, the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC), the Queensland Police Service (QPS) and NSW Police Force. 

The joint operation’s first target was a Queensland syndicate, and the investigation was called Operation Venti by the state police and Operation Leppadoid by the Australian Border Force

Daily Mail Australia previously reported on a tobacco smuggling syndicate operating through Melbourne International Airport.

Six people were charged for being involved in the smuggling operation as the police halted the flow of almost three million illegal cigarettes.

Recent seizures trace back to November last year.

Five million cigarettes in November, nine million cigarettes in early December, same amount in late December and 10 million in January. 

Smaller seizures were made in March, April and May.