Crime syndicate’s $2m illegal cigarette network smashed in Gold Coast raids
Authorities have disrupted a major organised crime network after discovering 1.1 million illicit cigarettes hidden in two Gold Coast storage sheds this week.
A prominent organised crime network smuggling cigarettes and vapes into Queensland has been disrupted after authorities seized more than $2 million worth of illegal smokes.
Australian Border Force officers raided two storage units on the Gold Coast this week linked to an outlaw motorcycle gang, seizing more than 1.1 million illicit cigarettes and 9000 illegal vapes.
Officers allege the syndicate has been importing illicit smokes from overseas, as well as operating multiple tobacconists in Queensland and New South Wales.
The Courier-Mail was taken behind the scenes of the raid with ABF after intelligence from the community led officers to storage units at Robina and Burleigh.
The street value of the vapes was $450,000, and duty evaded on the illegal smokes was about $1.6 million.
Illicit Tobacco and Vape Enforcement Commander Greg Dowse said profits from illegal smokes went back into the pocket of organised crime.
“Australians must understand that when they buy illicit tobacco, they are directly funding organised crime syndicates – every dollar in the pockets of these gangs supports violence, and other serious crimes,” Mr Dowse said.
The massive seizure included more than 60 plain-packaged cardboard boxes full of illegal cigarettes and vapes, with about 10,000 individual smokes in each box.
The packages included shipping labels from China, but many of the cigarettes were known to be produced in the Middle East and brought into Australia illegally.
Some cigarettes even included fake packaging to mimic Australian warning labels.
ABF Inspector Robert – who led the raid on Tuesday morning – said this was a common tactic of syndicates.
“The organised crime networks know that if they can get them into Australia, they can triple, or quadruple their profits, which is then funnelled into other crimes which affect the Australian community,” he said.
“The local retail stores are quite cunning now, so they won’t leave a lot of products in the shop.
“It’s quite a cut throat industry and obviously affects the wider community as well with violence.”
Inspector Robert said storage sheds were also a common place to hide the illegal goods.
“They’ll come in often late at night, bring their truck in, unload their boxes, so it's really hard for a storage manager to know.
“They’re often completely innocent community members who have no real idea.”
Mr Dowse said the raid was a significant outcome against the network’s supply chain, cashflow and distribution capabilities.
“We are committed to working together to break the illicit tobacco business model and holding criminals to account.”
The recent bust comes after Queensland Health’s mammoth crackdown on alleged dodgy tobacconists last week, where almost 150 shops were fined and ordered to close for selling illegal smokes.
More than $15 million in illicit cigarettes were also seized.
The investigation into the criminal syndicate remains ongoing.
