Cars, tobacco and cash are seized as part of raids across Victoria linked to an organised crime syndicate that police investigators allege earned $30 million over 12 months selling illegal tobacco.
Victoria Police has charged eight people with federal offences as part of raids on a $30-million illegal tobacco syndicate.A man charged with "directing the activities of a criminal organisation" is due to appear in court on Tuesday. Victoria Police says it has made a major breakthrough in the state's ongoing tobacco wars by dismantling a $30-million organised crime syndicate selling illegal tobacco.
The arrests include a 25-year-old Hoppers Crossing man taken into custody at Melbourne Airport who has been charged with "directing the activities of a criminal organisation".He is due to appear at the Melbourne Magistrates' Court later on Tuesday.Crime Command Assistant Commissioner Martin O'Brien said the police operation would have a substantial impact on the illicit tobacco trade.
"I'm not up here today to make hollow threats but instead to make a promise that Victoria Police will do everything in its power to hold people to account and prevent them from inflicting on the Victorian community the outrageous behaviours we've become all too familiar with," he said.
Assistant Commissioner O'Brien said the particular charges laid across Tuesday's raids were rare due to "high threshold and nature of the evidence that's required".The raids included properties in Truganina, Hoppers Crossing, Glen Waverley, Lara, Grovedale, Footscray and Mount Cottrell, as well as tobacco stores in Herne Hill, Bell Park, Grovedale, Werribee, Dallas, Kensington, Boronia, Ararat, Kyabram, Echuca and Yarrawonga.
Organised Crime Victoria Police Syndicate Charges Offences Afp
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