Police seize 3300kg of tobacco, $170,000 cash from Victoria’s west

Several men have been charged after an illegal tobacco investigation stretching from Melbourne out through central Victoria, with police targeting “syndicate leaders”.

Police have seized more than 3000kg of illegal tobacco in the state’s west. Picture: File

Police have seized more than three tonnes of illegal tobacco, about $170,000 in cash, and nearly a dozen guns from across the state’s west.

Taskforce Lunar detectives made the seizures during an investigation alongside the ATO into the cultivation and distribution of illicit tobacco in Victoria, with the roughly 3300kg of seized tobacco representing about $6m in lost excise.

Police said on Tuesday that three properties in Landsborough and two in Barkly, east of Stawell, showed evidence of recent tobacco harvests.

They found 20,000 illegal cigarettes and cash at an address in the latter suburb.

The investigation into illegal tobacco in Victoria continues.

Across two addresses in Sydenham, police seized 1100kg of tobacco, five firearms, shotgun rounds, and cash.

In Melton South, police found 1000kg of tobacco, 1.5kg of cannabis, $60,000 cash, and more shotgun rounds.

At homes in Delahey, police found 1200kg of tobacco, some $90,000 cash and six improperly stored firearms.

Four men, aged 30, 35, 39, 47, have been or are expected to be charged over the seizures.

A total of four men are expected to be charged after the recent alleged seizures.

Detective Acting Superintendent Mark Hatt said police were “focused on targeting syndicate leaders, directors, facilitators and organisers” of crimes.

“That remains a key priority for us, and we are doing absolutely everything we can to target them, to bring this criminality to an end, and to make involvement in illicit tobacco as unattractive a proposition as possible for organised crime groups,” he said.

He urged anyone with information about illegal tobacco to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.