Reza, Zahra Al Majedi and Mohamed Al Mosawy in Beenleigh Court for illegal tobacco sales
A trio at a Logan shop caught selling more than 700kg of illegal tobacco that was so cheap customers would drive six hours to buy supplies for their entire town has faced court, owing almost $1 million in tax.
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A trio, including a brother and sister, caught selling more than 700 kilograms of illegal tobacco from a Logan shop, has faced court.
Brother and sister Reza Al Majedi, 32, and Zahra Al Majedi, 29, were sentenced in Beenleigh District Court on September 8 alongside Mohamed Talib Noor Al Mosawy, 35.
The court heard that on June 15, 2021 in Rochedale South police raided their family home and found 721kg of tobacco products.
It included 720,000 thousand stick cigarettes as well as 96kg of loose leaf tobacco.
The raid was part of a major Queensland Police Service operation targeting illegal tobacco sales and included four search warrants, one which was executed at Slacks Creek shop Firat Market.
Siblings Reza and Zahra were storing the tobacco as part of a family business run by their father who was the main target of the operation while Al Mosawy worked at the store.
The father was the main culprit charged by police but died in June last year and was never sentenced in court.
Forty-four kilograms of cigarettes were also found at the Slacks Creek shop and a safe containing $3000 in cash.
The court heard the business was importing illegal tobacco products from overseas which were not plain packaged, then undercutting expensive, traditional cigarettes by selling them for only $10 a packet.
Thousands of customers frequented the shop and people travelled six hours regionally, to buy the cigarettes for their town.
The trio did not pay import or excise taxes on these products and owed $946,636 in unpaid tax.
Reza and Al Mosawy pleaded guilty to possession of more than 500kg of tobacco products.
Zahra was responsible for only 60kg and pleaded guilty to possession of more than 50 but less than 100kg of tobacco products.
When interviewed by police Reza said the expensive high taxes on regular cigarettes made this black market possible.
“High tax has made this black market happen,” he said, according to the court.
“The cheapest pack of cigarettes is $25 and we sell ours for $10.”
Judge Terry Gardiner said deterrence was important to stop the sale of illegal, wholesale tobacco products.
“Illegal sale of tobacco needs to be met with punishment,” he said.
“Imprisonment is the only answer with this much tobacco involved.”
Zahra was sentenced to two months prison and placed on a good behaviour recognisance bond of $500, with the prison term wholly suspended.
Reza and Al Mosawy were sentenced to 5 months prison, wholly suspended, and placed on a good behaviour recognisance bond of $700.
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