More than 10 million illegal cigarettes seized in Melbourne smuggling bust

Aneeka Simonis
October 24, 2018
Herald Sun
MORE than 10 million illegal cigarettes were uncovered in sea cargo containers during a massive smuggling bust in Melbourne.
Australian Border Force has charged a man after thwarting the alleged smuggling plot at the Melbourne Container Examination Facility on October 10.
ABF officers say the cigarettes were worth more than $8.9 million in evaded duty.
The cigarettes, found in two containers, led police to a business address in Campbellfield.
Electronic devices were seized from the address and a 40-year-old man was charged with contravening section 233BABAD (2A) of the Customs Act 1901.
He was bailed to appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on January 21.
ABF Victoria Regional Investigations Superintendent Nicholas Walker said the bust would make a huge dent in the supply of illicit tobacco in ­Victoria.
“Illicit tobacco is an international issue, with much of the profits from cigarettes sold illegally in Australia being used to fund other criminal activity both here and overseas,” said
“The ABF is committed to working with our international partners to detect, investigate and disrupt those involved in the illegal tobacco trade — and to stop the profits from these smuggling operations from funding further criminal activity.”
The illicit tobacco market in Australia is worth about $600 million a year in evaded revenue.
The maximum penalty for tobacco smuggling is 10 years’ imprisonment and fines up to five times the amount of duty evaded.
aneeka.simonis@news.com.au