SA Police have seized $3.8m in illicit tobacco products

SA Police have upped the ante in their fight against organised crime gangs’ involvement in Adelaide’s tobacco wars and the results are telling.

Police have seized $3.8m worth of illicit tobacco products, six cars and three guns in their fight to bring Adelaide’s underground tobacco war under control.

Commissioner Grant Stevens yesterday said the efforts of SA Police’s Operation Eclipse had hopefully put a dent in the illicit tobacco market in South Australia.

“We’re pushing really hard on this, because we recognise the risk that it presents to the community,” Mr Stevens said on FIVEaa on Monday.

“If we have people trying to set fire to shops, that obviously causes damage to property, but the risk of damage or harm to life is just as important to us, and we want to prevent that from happening.

Police seize tobacco at Port Augusta on October 09, 2024. Picture: SA Police.

“So it’s about targeting the right people … we’re trying to make it as hostile as possible for organised crime to think that they can come into South Australia and commit these types of crimes.”

Police made 15 arrests in the past month after 15 shops and four vehicles were the victim of arson attacks related to the sale of illicit tobacco.

Mr Stevens said police were working hand-in-hand with the officials from Consumer and Business Services.

“These shops are popping up, breaking the law by selling illicit tobacco,” he said. “Consumer and business affairs are targeting that side of it, and we’re targeting the organised crime infiltration into that market.”

Originally published as SA Police have seized $3.8m in illicit tobacco products