Seven arrested at Bunnings after syndicate allegedly sold $1.3M worth of cigarettes

Seven men have been charged following the alleged sale of $1.3 million dollars worth of illegally imported cigarettes.

Police say a “sophisticated” criminal network that operated across three states was responsible for the illegal sale of $1.3M worth of cigarettes that had been imported from overseas.

Seven men were arrested in a major police operation in a Bunnings car park in Casula on Friday afternoon, after detectives established Strike Force Keon.

Police pounced on the men following a months-long investigation around the supply of illegally-imported cigarettes, arresting them in plain view of shoppers at the hardware store.

Bags of cash were seized from two Pantech trucks while the group laid on the carpark floor in handcuffs.

Police operation at Bunnings, Casula, at the Crossroads Homemaker Centre. Four men are in handcuffs, while eyewitnesses reported seeing bags of cash and drugs being taken out of the vehicles. Picture: Paul Brescia

The men appeared at Parramatta Local Court on Saturday, where it was revealed 45-year-old Macquarie Fields man Tony Mina was the alleged head of the operation – which was described by a police prosecutor as “extensive” – with links to Queensland and the Northern Territory.

Police allege Mina and 46-year-old Khaled Elsaid arranged the illegal transaction on July 26 with the purchaser via Ciphr phone.

The court heard he planned to sell 110,000 packets of cigarettes, and met with the purchaser again in Wahroonga in August to organise the deal.

Bags of cash seized after the alleged sale of illegal cigarettes. Picture: NSW Police

Mina allegedly called in the help of five other men to get the transaction done on Friday – including Rudd Bdere, Zane Elassadi and Bader Aouli.

The court heard Elassadi was employed as a truck driver and had no knowledge of the operation. While Bdere was also described as a “low level” player in the alleged syndicate.

Police swarmed on the group after ongoing surveillance – where they uncovered more than $900,000 in cash, which had been stuffed into shopping bags after the alleged exchange of the cigarettes.

Police reportedly stopped this car about 11.30am. Picture: Supplied

Mina was charged with large commercial manufacture, large commercial supply, two counts of supply greater than indictable quantity, knowingly directing a criminal group and dealing with proceeds of crime.

He did not apply for bail and will remain in custody until he next appears before the court.

Elsaid was charged with participating in a criminal group and three counts of knowingly deal with proceeds of crime. He also chose not to apply for bail.

Bdere, Elassadi and Aouli were charged with participate in criminal group and two counts of knowingly deal with proceeds of crime.

Bdere and Elassadi were granted bail while Aouli’s application was refused.