Police seize greater than $70m in tobacco and vape merchandise in historic bust

A joint operation between the Australian Border Force (ABF) and the Queensland Police Service (QPS) has delivered “one of the largest” tobacco busts within the state’s historical past. 

Operation Xray Modred was initiated in February by the QPS’s Money Laundering Unit to focus on suspected cash laundering actions linked to an organised crime syndicate.

Investigations led police to determine suspicious exercise at a storage facility in Brendale, within the Moreton Bay area north of Brisbane.

Over three days in August, ABF officers executed warrants throughout 17 storage sheds in Rothwell, North Lakes and Brendale.

They situated greater than 30 million cigarettes, 395,000 vapes and greater than 4,650 kilograms of tobacco. 

At the identical time, QPS detectives, in collaboration with Taskforce Masher and Queensland Health compliance officers executed warrants at eight tobacconists and 6 residential addresses.

They situated an extra 450,000 illicit cigarette, 6,000 vapes, 500 kilograms of tobacco and $1 million in money.

Across the 2 operations, the overall responsibility evaded for the seizures of cigarettes and tobacco is estimated to be over $53.8 million, whereas the estimated road worth of vapes is round $20 million.

One of largest busts for the state

ABF Acting Assistant Commissioner North James Copeman mentioned the collaboration had helped ship historic outcomes.

“This is one of the largest illicit tobacco busts in Queensland’s history,” he mentioned.

“In less than a week, the ABF and our partners have put a significant dent in two major illicit tobacco networks.

“The ABF is dedicated to not solely disrupting but additionally dismantling these prison networks exploiting the tobacco commerce and profiting on the neighborhood’s expense.”

Queensland Acting Premier Jarrod Bleijie has applauded the efforts by agencies to confiscate items.

“This [result] exhibits that the federal government is cracking down on unlawful tobacco and unlawful vapes, we make no apology for that,” Mr Bleijie mentioned.

“The state authorities has a zero tolerance method to unlawful vapes, tobacco and medicines … we’ll preserve giving police the sources and placing legal guidelines in place [to stop the trade].”