02/09/2025
The Australian Border Force (ABF), in partnership with the Queensland Police Service (QPS), have executed a series of warrants across Queensland and uncovered one of the largest illicit tobacco and vape seizures in the state’s history.
QPS Operation Xray Modred was initiated on February 1 by the Money Laundering Unit to target suspected money laundering activities linked to an organised crime syndicate.
As a result of investigations, information was received regarding suspicious activity at a storage facility in Brendale, with subsequent enquiries identifying links to a major criminal syndicate involved in money laundering and violence within the illicit tobacco trade.
ABF officers executed warrants across 17 storage sheds in Rothwell, North Lakes and Brendale over three days from Thursday 21 August, and during the search officers located:
- Over 30 million cigarettes
- Over 395,000 vapes
- Over 4,650 kg of tobacco
Concurrently, Detectives from the QPS Financial and Cyber Crime Group, Taskforce Masher and Queensland Health compliance officers, executed warrants at eight tobacconist businesses and six residential addresses. At these locations officers seized:
- 450,000 illicit cigarettes
- Over 6,000 vapes
- 500kg tobacco
- AUD $1 million in cash
In addition to the seizures, 35 Penalty Infringement Notices were issued to tobacconist businesses totalling almost $2 million in fines.
The total duty evaded for the combined seizures of over 30.5 million cigarettes, and 5.1 tonnes of tobacco is estimated to be over AUD 53.8 million, with the estimated street value of over 400 thousand vapes to be AUD 20.05 million.
ABF Acting Assistant Commissioner North James Copeman said strong collaboration and intelligence sharing between our partner agencies is the key behind these historic results.
“In less than a week, the ABF has put a significant dent in two major illicit tobacco networks. That success is only possible through the intelligence-sharing and close collaboration we have with our law enforcement partners, Assistant Commissioner Copeman said.”
“The ABF and our partners are committed to not only disrupting but also dismantling these criminal networks exploiting the tobacco trade and profiting at the community’s expense.”
QPS Detective Acting Chief Superintendent Craig McGrath said the operation has caused significant disruption to organised criminal syndicates and investigations will continue.
“The success of operation is a testament to the professionalism and tenacity of our investigators. Money laundering investigations are complex and unravelling these criminal networks requires experienced and specialist detectives, and a strong multi-agency collaboration and intelligence-sharing across law enforcement,” Detective Acting Chief Superintendent McGrath said.
“These are significant seizures, and we will continue to target these criminal networks and those who seek to profit at the community’s expense.
“QPS will continue to work closely with our policing counterparts nationally and federally, as well as other government agencies to investigate, disrupt, and prevent serious and organised crime in the illicit tobacco and vape trade.”
Queensland’s Chief Health Officer Associate Professor Catherine McDougall praised this targeted operation by the ABF and QPS which was focused on storage sheds full of illicit tobacco and vapes.
“Queensland Health officers are working tirelessly to enforce the laws in retail outlets across the state. A growing challenge we are seeing is off-site bulk storage of illicit products in secure containers and sheds.”
“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 – Investigations remain ongoing.
This seizure took place less than a week after a separate joint operation in Queensland by the ABF-led Illicit Tobacco Taskforce, QPS and Queensland Health, which resulted in the seizure of over 7.5 million cigarette sticks, approximately 218 kilograms of loose tobacco and over 26,000 thousand vaping devices.
Anyone with information about the importation of illicit tobacco or cigarettes should contact Border Watch at abf.gov.au/borderwatch. By reporting suspicious activities, you help protect Australia’s border and the community. Information can be provided anonymously.
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