More than 46 million illicit cigarettes have been seized at the Australian border as police continue to crack down on the importation of millions of dollars of illegal tobacco.
Australian Border Force (ABF) seized four containers filled with illicit cigarettes valued at approximately $31 million at the border in NSW between June 24 and July 15.
Detectives issued a 42-year-old man with a Court Attendance notice for two counts of importing tobacco products with intent to defraud revenue, relating to approximately 25 million illicit cigarettes found in two of the containers.
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The charges come after a special task force – Strike Force Aulic – was created in September 2023 to curb the illicit tobacco trade in Australia.
According to the Australian Tax Office, the 2022-2023 financial year saw over $6 billion of illicit tobacco attempted to be smuggled into the Australian market.
In the last financial year, 6.7 million illicit cigarettes with a total value of $58 million were seized by authorities.
The strike force is focused on identifying and targeting trusted insiders who are accused of aiding transnational serious organised crime syndicates affecting NSW.
Aulic also investigated the importation and supply of large quantities of prohibited drugs and illicit tobacco by a 42-year-old man and his associates.
The alleged syndicate was purporting to have the ability to circumvent border controls.
Seven men have previously been charged and remain before the courts.
The man accused of the importation offences on Monday will appear in Downing Centre Local Court on Thursday, July 31.
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