Six Melbourne men have been arrested in connection with a plot to import 10million black market cigarettes into Australia, police allege.
Some of the men are allegedly linked to a suspected Middle Eastern crime family while others work in ‘trusted positions’ in freight and transport logistics companies, police said on Wednesday.
The $15million illegal tobacco bust is a the result of a 16-month investigation by the Victorian Joint Organised Crime Taskforce that includes officers from Victoria Police, the Australian Federal Police and Australian Border Force.
The syndicate was cracked after the ABF allegedly intercepted the cigarettes on a cargo ship travelling to Victoria from Vietnam on February 3.
Search warrants were then carried out at a number of businesses and homes in Melbourne’s western suburbs on Tuesday.
Six men have been arrested over an alleged illicit tobacco importation syndicate
A joint police task force seized 10million cigarettes in a shipment from Vietnam
Two of those arrested allegedly had access to shipping and transport records.
A 45-year-old Point Cook man is the alleged facilitator of the syndicate who used insiders in the logistics business to try to avoid detection of the cigarettes and subsequent Commonwealth taxes.
A 35-year-old Fraser Rise man is accused of using his position at a company to locate and covertly move a shipment he understood to contain the illicit tobacco once it arrived in the country.
They have both been charged with conspiracy to import tobacco products with the intention of defrauding the revenue.
It will be alleged three of the group – a Truganina man, 35, an Altona Meadows man, 31, and a Craigieburn man, 35 – were involved in the importation and distribution of illicit tobacco throughout Victoria.
They have been charged with aid, abet, counsel or procure the importation of tobacco products with the intention of defrauding the revenue.
Among those arrested were men who allegedly worked for transport companies
The cigarettes are worth about $15million on the street
The six men will front court on Wednesday charged over the alleged importation scheme
A Tarneit man, 40, was charged with alleged proceeds of crime offences and failing to comply with a court order.
He has been charged with dealing with proceeds of crime – money or property worth $50,000 or more.
Victoria Police Commander Paul O’Halloran, Crime Command, said the arrests and seizures highlighted the collaborative effort to target organised crime syndicates involved in illicit tobacco.
‘It has become a significant driver of organised crime groups particularly here in Victoria, and we have seen an array of serious and violent offending take place due to disputes between these groups as they strive for an increasing market share of profits,’ Cmdr O’Halloran said.
‘In particular, the past 12 months has given rise to a large number of deliberate and reckless arson attacks across a range of business, in particular tobacco retailers. We have been very clear about the risk this presents to the broader community.’
The six men will front Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday.
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