Revealed: Australia’s biggest illicit tobacco busts of 2025
From inside microwaves amid cross-border operations to shipping containers and routes via sea, crime bosses are cashing in on Australia’s illicit tobacco trade, but police are striking back.
Illicit tobacco is pouring into Australia and costing the country more than $2 billion a year in lost tax revenue, with organised crime syndicates cashing in on the booming black market.
The illicit tobacco trade is booming in Australia and driving up nicotine consumption nationwide with fresh figures from the Australian Crime Intelligence Commission showing Aussies are consuming more nicotine now than eight years ago.
Meanwhile, retailers are feeling the pinch — with one major NSW IGA operator warning the black market is gutting legitimate cigarette sales, forcing job cuts and price hikes.
Coles last week reported it had lost 30 per cent in tobacco sales, as smokers ditch legal cigarettes, which are more than double the price because of strict taxes.
From containers stuffed with millions of cigarettes to suburban homes hiding piles of cash and vapes, police are stepping up raids nationwide as they seize massive amounts of illicit tobacco.
Here are the biggest busts of 2025 so far.
COPS BUST $70 MILLION TOBACCO RING
Police seized more than $70 million worth of illegal tobacco in late August, in one of the biggest raids ever seen in Queensland.
The raids have shattered a major organised crime syndicate selling illegal tobacco and laundering money through shopfronts in south east Queensland.
The six-month joint operation between Queensland Police Service (QPS) and Australian Border Force (ABF) also saw police seize $2 million cash in alleged profits from the lucrative trade and money laundering operations.
$31 MILLION WORTH OF ILLICIT CIGARETTES SEIZED
Australian Federal Police (AFP) made a massive haul of 46 million illicit cigarettes worth approximately $31 million in NSW.
It came after a task force was set up in 2023 to investigate an alleged crime syndicate which tried to import illicit tobacco and other drugs into the country.
As part of the investigation, Australian Border Force (ABF) seized four shipping containers allegedly linked to the syndicate in June and July at the NSW border.
The containers were alleged to contain a total of 46 million illicit cigarettes.
FAILED PLOT TO IMPORT 477,000 CIGARETTES
Investigators in Sydney and Melbourne detected 92kg of illicit drugs and more than 477,000 cigarettes spread across four separate consignments early this year.
The consignments, which originated in Vietnam, were labelled as containing clothing such as leggings, hats and socks, and concealed about 55kg of methamphetamine, 35kg of heroin and 2kg of MDMA.
Then, on February 25, investigators in Melbourne examined another consignment with similar billing details, and found cigarettes, methamphetamine, and small amounts of MDMA and heroin.
Investigations into a phone number linked to the consignment allegedly revealed a Vietnamese drug trafficking organisation using multiple burner phones.
SUSPICIOUS BANK ACCOUNTS WITH BALANCE OF $1 MILLION BLOCKED
AFP restrained two bank accounts with a combined balance of more than $1 million suspected to be the proceeds of crime from illicit vaping goods sales in Sydney and online.
An investigation was launched in May when AFP received intelligence from ANZ and Westpac bank about an account receiving proceeds of vape supply.
In June, investigators then executed search warrants on storage units in Waterloo and Auburn and seized a small amount of online branded vapes and handwritten inventories documenting vape flavours and quantities.
It is believed the vapes were sold online to Australian retail consumers and supplied to Sydney-based tobacco outlets.
645,000 CIGARETTES AND NEARLY $1 MILLION SEIZED
AFP seized about $900,000 cash concealed in packaged microwave ovens waiting to be shipped to Melbourne as well as 645,000 cigarettes, 19,000 vapes, and 200 pouches of loose-leaf tobacco.
The haul, on March 27, was allegedly linked to a cross-trafficking operation between the eastern states and Western Australia.
MASSIVE HAUL OF VAPES, CASH, ILLICIT TOBACCO
Police made a massive haul of $900,000 worth of vapes and illicit tobacco, along with $150,000 cash in March.
In total, police discovered 3300 vapes, estimated to be worth $150,000, about 8260 packets of cigarettes, estimated to be worth $289,000 and about 40kg of loose-leaf tobacco, estimated to be worth $40,000.
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Originally published as Revealed: Australia’s biggest illicit tobacco busts of 2025
