Murga tobacco bust: 16 tonnes valued at $28 million seized by NSW Police

More than 16 tonnes of illegally-grown tobacco valued at $28 million has been seized by police in one of the biggest crop busts in NSW history.

More than 16 tonnes of illicit tobacco valued at $28 million has been seized in one of the biggest illegal crop busts in NSW history.

A criminal tobacco syndicate was hit hard after police raided and shut down the plantation in the state’s central west, as part of a joint investigation with the Australian Taxation Office.

The operation was comprised of five different police and government agencies with officials from NSW Police’s State Crime Command, the AFP, Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, ATO and the Australian Border Force joining to form Strike Force Naiad and Operation Junglevine 2.

The raid on Wednesday last week followed police receiving a tip-off last year that an illegal tobacco farm was being grown on a property in Murga, about 55km east of Parkes.

Officers executed a search warrant and raided a property last week, eventually seizing and destroying 16 tonnes of illicit tobacco estimated to have a potential excise of more than $28 million.

Police were tipped off last year on the alleged tobacco farm. Picture: NSW Police.

Operation commander Detective-Superintendent Stuart Cadden commended those involved in the investigation.

“The seizure of this tobacco has resulted in the disruption of the syndicate’s supply chain, which in turn means the profits aren’t funnelled into organised crime,” Det-Supt Cadden said.

“The tobacco is simply one source of income that organised criminals use to fund their other illicit activities.

“The NSW Police Force, the AFP, the ACIC, and all our other partner agencies will continue to conduct operations targeting illicit activities.

The Murga property was located in NSW central west. Picture: NSW Police.

“Collaborative efforts are necessary to target any criminal activity which brings potential harm to our community.”

ATO assistant commissioner Justin Clarke said the illegal tobacco crops posed a significant danger on surrounding communities.

“These operations are not run by genuine farmers or landowners, but by criminals living and operating in local communities,” Commissioner Clarke said.

Police located, seized and destroyed approximately 16 tonnes of illicit tobacco. Picture: NSW Police.

“Criminals who deal in illicit tobacco pose a serious threat to the Australian community. They use their profits to fund their lifestyles and engage in criminal behaviour well beyond the sale of illicit tobacco.

“Evading excise duty on tobacco costs the community millions of dollars that could be spent on essential community services.

“Involvement in illicit tobacco is a serious offence, and the ATO is works with the community and our partner agencies including state and federal police to stamp out the illicit tobacco trade.”

More than $28 million worth of tobacco was destroyed. Picture: NSW Police.

ABF Superintendent Sasha Barclay said criminal syndicates were increasingly turning to cultivating their own illicit tobacco crops in order to bolster supply.

“What we’re seeing is more and more criminal syndicates are trying their hand at cultivation to keep up supply as ABF continues to increase the amount of illicit tobacco being detected and seized at the border,” Supt Barclay said.

Police allege illegal Tobacco help fund other criminal activities. Picture: NSW Police.

“These criminal syndicates are sophisticated and run like a business, so they will do whatever it takes to ensure they have a supply and can continue to bring in a profit at the expense of legitimate business owners and the wider Australian community.”

Growing tobacco in Australia carries a maximum sentence of up to 10 years imprisonment and has been illegal in Australia for more than a decade.

Investigations into the Murga crop are ongoing.