William Wallace Lewis arrested on deprivation of liberty charges
A man accused of trapping police officers and government officials in a Cairns city shop during a raid on an alleged illicit tobacco outlet has been arrested in front of lunchtime crowds.
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A man accused of trapping police officers and government officials inside a Cairns city shop during a raid on an alleged illicit tobacco outlet has been arrested in front of lunchtime crowds.
At about 12pm on Tuesday Queensland Health officers supported by Queensland Police raided the Grafton St Urban Vapes and Tobacconist store.
During the enforcement action, police allege Bungalow man William Wallace Lewis shut the shop roller doors to prevent Taskforce Masher and Environmental Health Officers from leaving.
Police also allege the man cut power to the business.
General duties officers were called to the scene and released authorities from the shop before taking the 21-year-old into custody on seven counts of deprivation of liberty charges.
The latest Taskforce Masher raid is part of a recent Far North Queensland enforcement campaign to stem the loss of about $2.7bn annually in federal excise revenue to the black market tobacco industry.
Following the arrest of Mr Lewis Queensland Health officers and police could be seen inside the shop cataloguing a large amount of illicit tobacco products and illegal vape devices.
When leaving the store on Tuesday afternoon a notice was taped to the roller door of the business advising of an interim closure order that would be in place for 72 hours.
The tobacco store worker was held in the cells overnight and fronted the Cairns Magistrates Court on Wednesday morning.
Magistrate Jakub Lodziak heard a bail application made by defence lawyer Richard Whitla, during which it was revealed the defendant was already on bail from a Brisbane court for trafficking charges.
Being in a show cause position as to why bail should be granted Mr Whitla said his client had no criminal history and was prepared to surrender his passport.
Magistrate Lodziak described the allegations levelled at Mr Lewis as being “quite deliberate.”
“This is not only against public servants but against police officers when we know he is on bail for very serious charges,” he said.
Mr Whitla justified his clients actions as “juvenile foolishness” however police prosecutor Angela Tegan told the court there was “definitely an unacceptable risk” to the community when opposing bail given the victims were public servants and two detective sergeants.
“The risk you have potentially shown yourself to be (in terms of) committing further offences (after) interfering in lawful investigations is a heightened risk of (reoffending) but with the imposition of conditions I’m prepared to grant you bail,” Magistrate Lodziak said.
Bail was granted on the condition that Mr Lewis handed over his passport, did not travel internationally, reported to the Cairns Police station three times a week and did not have contact with five witnesses named by the court.
The matter was adjourned until July 16.
Originally published as William Wallace Lewis arrested on deprivation of liberty charges
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