Police have seized a significant quantity of illicit tobacco during a search warrant at a tobacco store in Bacchus Marsh last week.

The investigation commenced after police received intelligence to suggest large amounts of illicit tobacco and cigarettes were being sold at the store.

On Wednesday 31 July, detectives from the Moorabool Crime Investigation Unit executed a search warrant at the tobacco store in Bacchus Marsh.

As a result, police seized:

• Over 12,000 cigarettes.

• Significant quantity of dried loose-leaf tobacco.

• 25 vapes.

The investigation remains ongoing.

Investigators continue to appeal to anyone, especially store owners and staff, who have information about illicit activity to come forward to police.

Anyone with information about these incidents or with further information about illicit tobacco is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential crime report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au

Detectives from Taskforce Lunar have seized a further three tonnes of illicit tobacco, over $170,000 cash and eleven firearms as part of their investigation into the cultivation and distribution of illicit tobacco in Victoria in recent days, In a joint operation with the Australia Taxation Office.

With assistance from the ATO and Western Region Crime Squad, Goldfields Crime Investigation Unit and uniform members from Horsham, Stawell and Highway Patrol, five Commonwealth search warrants were executed at large rural properties in the state’s west – three in Landsborough and two in Barkly, last Thursday, 4 July.

No illicit tobacco was located at the western Victorian warrants, though each property had evidence of recent harvest of the plant.

At a Johnsons Gully Road address in Barkly, 20,000 illicit cigarettes and a small quantity of cash were located.

A 40-year-old man at the property was interviewed but released pending further enquiries.

With assistance from the VIPER Taskforce, Brimbank Crime Reduction Team and Brimbank Crime Investigation Unit, a further five Commonwealth search warrants were executed on 4 July at residential addresses in northwest metropolitan suburbs – Sydenham (2), Delahey (2) and Melton South.

At a Rose Court property in Sydenham, police seized 200kg of illicit tobacco, five firearms which were improperly stored, shotgun rounds which were improperly stored, documentation relating to the manufacture of illicit tobacco and keys which are believed to be for illicit tobacco farms.

A 30-year-old man at the address was interviewed by police and is expected to be charged on summons.

At a Nelson Court address in Melton South, 1.5kg of cannabis, approximately $60,000 cash, 10 shotgun rounds and 1000kg of illicit tobacco were located.

A 47-year-old man residing at the property was charged with possessing illicit tobacco to defraud the revenue, possess a traffickable quantity drug of dependence, possess proceeds of crime and firearms offences.

He was bailed to appear at Sunshine Magistrates’ Court on 2 October.

At Wordsworth Place in Delahey, police located 600kg of illicit tobacco, approximately $90,000 cash and six firearms which were improperly stored.

A 35-year-old man at the address will be charged on summons with possessing illicit tobacco to defraud the revenue, possess proceeds of crime and firearms offences. He will appear at court at a later date.

At a Spellman Avenue property in Sydenham, police located 900kg of illicit tobacco and a small quantity of cash.

A 39-year-old man residing at the address will be charged with possessing illicit tobacco to defraud the revenue and possess proceeds of crime.

At Lalwinya Street, Delahey, police located approximately 600kg of illicit tobacco.

Overall, the total weight of tobacco seized is over 3.3 tonnes and represents approximately $6million in lost excise.

Police will allege the properties searched are linked to a significant leader of an organised crime syndicate involved in the illicit tobacco network.

The investigation remains ongoing.

Anyone with information about illicit tobacco was urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or report via the Crime Stoppers website online.

Detective Acting Superintendent Mark Hatt, State Anti-Gangs Division, Crime Command – Victoria Police: “We have said previously that Victoria Police is focused on targeting syndicate leaders, directors, facilitators and organisers responsible for this criminal offending.

“That remains a key priority for us, and we are doing absolutely everything we can to target them, to bring this criminality to an end and to make involvement in illicit tobacco as unattractive a proposition as possible for organised crime groups.

“However, we also need the community’s help. Purchasing illicit tobacco is not a victimless crime – in doing so, you are unwittingly funding organised crime.

“That money can be used to commit other crimes, such as an arson attack on a business, or to obtain an illicit firearm for a shooting. It is that simple.

“If you are aware of illicit activity linked to a tobacco store, please come forward with that information so police can act.”

Assistant Commissioner Jade Hawkins: “We are committed to targeting growers and sellers of illicit tobacco and ensuring they face the consequences of their actions.

“The outcomes of these raids are another positive step forward in the ongoing work to detect, disrupt and dismantle organised crime syndicates who use profits from illicit tobacco to fund other more serious illegal activities.

“The illicit tobacco trade not only takes away vital funding from essential community services, but it also disadvantages honest small businesses who do the right thing.”

Detectives from the VIPER Taskforce have arrested a man and seized illicit tobacco products following a ram raid at tobacco store in Ballarat last week.

Shortly after 6am on Thursday 15 February, police were called to reports of a ram raid on a tobacco store on Curtis Street in Ballarat.

It appears a vehicle was reversed into the front entrance of the store before the driver fled without gaining entry.

Members from the VIPER Taskforce today executed on a warrant on that same premises, locating over 1000 sticks of illicit cigarettes.

A 45-year-old Winter Valley man was arrested and interviewed by police in relation to possessing drugs of dependence, possess illicit tobacco, possessing proceeds of crime and weapons offences.

He was expected to be charged on summons.

Anyone with information on illicit tobacco was urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via the Crime Stoppers website online.

Members from VIPER taskforce executed 16 warrants across regional Victoria, including Ballarat, last week as part of the ongoing Taskforce Lunar investigation into organised crime syndicates linked to illicit tobacco.

Members of the taskforce were joined at the warrants by police from the Shepparton, Seymour, Yarrawonga and Ballarat Crime Investigation Units, along with representatives from the Australian Tax Office (ATO) and the Australian Border Force’s Illicit Tobacco Taskforce.

Police attended 16 stores in Ballarat (8), Shepparton (6) and Seymour, Yarrawonga last Thursday, 26 October.

As a result, the following was seized:

• 39,184 e-cigarettes (vapes) with a street value of over $1.1M;

• 611,833 cigarettes with duty excise evaded totalling over $760,000;

• 153kg of loose tobacco with duty excise evaded totalling over $280,000; and

• Over $16,000 cash, which police will allege to be the proceeds of crime.

An additional thirty six warrants had been executed on Wednesday (18 October) and Thursday (19 October) of last week at 34 retail outlets and two residential properties across Melbourne.

Six people were arrested over the two-day period, with a 40-year-old Northcote man charged in relation to drug trafficking offences.

The other five people were released pending further enquiries.

The combined seizures of the four day operation include;

• 92,331 e-cigarettes (vapes), with a street value of over $2.7M;

• 1,324,268 cigarettes with duty excise evaded totalling over $1.6M;

• Approximately 901kg loose-leaf tobacco – with duty excise evaded totalling $1.6M;

• 2kg of cannabis;

• 1kg of cocaine;

• $42,901 proceeds of crime;

• 2 x ASP batons; and

• industrial tobacco manufacturing equipment.

The warrants form part of the Taskforce Lunar investigation into organised crime syndicates believed to be heavily involved in the illicit tobacco trade and an ongoing dispute for profit.

These warrants were executed with the support of the Australian Border Force’s Illicit Tobacco Taskforce and the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).

Investigators continue to appeal to anyone, especially store owners and staff, who has information about these incidents and who is responsible to come forward.

Anyone with information about these incidents or with further information about illicit tobacco is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential crime report via the Crime Stoppers website.