Australian Border Force officers hit illegal tobacco syndicate in dawn raid

A man has been arrested after an Australian Border Force dawn raid targeting a syndicate responsible for importing illegal tobacco into the country. Picture: Nicole Garmston

David Hurley
March 30, 2017
Herald Sun

A MAN was arrested by the Australian Border Force after a dawn raid to hit a syndicate responsible for importing illegal tobacco into the country.

Zisheng Yang, 29, was arrested about 10am on Wednesday after border force officers arrived at a high-rise apartment building off Little Bourke and King streets at 6am.

Officers seized phones, a computer and a GPS navigation system after searching Mr Yang’s apartment on the 49th floor, and two cars which were parked nearby.

The ABF was investigating the importation of nine tonnes of illegal tobacco into Melbourne and Adelaide.

A factory in Melbourne was also raided as part of the probe.

Mr Yang and a 31-year-old woman from South Australia were charged with the importation of tobacco products, knowing that the goods were imported with the intention of defrauding revenue.

Australian Border Force officers in Melbourne CBD. Picture: Nicole Garmston

Australian Boarder force officers raided an apartment in Melbourne CBD. Picture: Nicole Garmston

The ABF Tobacco Strike Team began investigating the individuals following the arrest of another syndicate member in August last year.

More than 75 sea cargo consignments linked to the syndicate were identified as being suspected of containing undeclared tobacco, with the total amount of duty evaded more than $10 million.

ABF Assistant Commissioner Wayne Buchhorn said border officers were successfully

disrupting the supply of illicit tobacco and dismantling criminal syndicates that supported it.

“Tobacco is one of the most highly taxed commodities in Australia — and across the world

— and because of that, it is attractive to serious and organised crime and is one of the

world’s most smuggled illegal goods,” he said.

“As organised crime syndicates are smuggling their product and avoiding paying revenue,

they sell their product — which often does not carry health warnings — more cheaply and

generate illicit profits, which is of great concern.”

Australian Border Force hit a syndicate responsible for importing illegal tobacco into the country. Picture: Nicole Garmston

Australian Border Force officers after a dawn raid in Melbourne. Picture: Nicole Garmston

The maximum penalty for tobacco smuggling is 10 years’ jail with a potential fine of up to five times the amount of duty evaded.

In October 2015, Immigration Minister Peter Dutton announced the formation of a new ABF Tobacco Strike Team to combat organised criminal syndicates attempting to smuggle illicit tobacco into Australia.

Since the team was launched in late 2015, it has seized more than 25 tonnes of smuggled tobacco and 75 million smuggled cigarettes.

In May 2016, the federal government announced $7.7 million in extra funding for the team over the next two years.

An Australian Border Force officer speaks to a resident after a dawn raid. Picture: Nicole Garmston

Australian Border Force after a dawn raid to hit a syndicate responsible for importing illegal tobacco into the country. Picture: Nicole Garmston

The funding has allowed the team to go after the serious and organised criminals who run the illicit tobacco trade, including their global supply chains.

Mr Yang appeared before Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday afternoon and was bailed. He will reappear at court on April 6.

The South Australian woman was also bailed and will appear at Adelaide Magistrates’ Court on April 12.

People with information about the illicit importation of tobacco should call Border Watch on 1800 06 1800.