09/12/2024
Detectives from Taskforce Lunar yesterday seized significant quantities of illicit tobacco from a storage facility in Craigieburn as part of an investigation into an organised crime syndicate with involvement in the illicit tobacco market.
The warrant was executed at the Hume Highway facility on the morning of Thursday, 5 December.
Detectives subsequently located the following:
• Over 250,000 illicit cigarettes;
• Approximately 1020kg of loose leaf tobacco; and
• 70 vapes.
In total, the illicit tobacco is believed to have an excise avoidance of about $2.5M.
The warrant was executed as part of a broader ongoing investigation into the organised crime syndicate, which is linked to a person currently based overseas.
The investigation remains ongoing.
Victoria Police has identified a number of state, national and global organised crime syndicates involved in the illicit tobacco conflict.
These syndicates are comprised of personnel from Middle Eastern organised crime groups and outlaw motorcycle gangs who are then engaging local networked youth and youth gangs to carry out the offending.
Investigators continue to appeal to anyone, especially store owners and staff, who have information about these incidents and who is responsible to come forward.
Anyone with information about these incidents or with further information about serious and organised crime linked to the illicit tobacco trade is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential crime report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au
Quotes attributable to Detective Inspector Graham Banks:
“We are continuing to target a number of organised crime syndicates operating here in Victoria, with a particular focus by Taskforce Lunar on the illicit tobacco trade.
“It’s been no secret that there are enormous profits to be made by the syndicates operating within this market. The scale of yesterday’s seizures is representative of that.
“While a number of key players in those syndicates are outside Victoria, including overseas, that won’t stop us targeting their activities. We want to cut off as much of their potential for profit, which in turn often funds other serious criminal offending.
“This is not a harmless trade, it’s one that has caused immense heartache and misery throughout the community. It’s resulted in people’s livelihoods and businesses suffering due to reckless and indiscriminate arson attacks, and I will say again that it is only due to luck that we haven’t had someone killed.”
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