Trusted insiders in Western Sydney’s organised crime underworld have led Federal Police and Border Security officers to bust a “staggering” $80 million illicit tobacco operation.
On Friday, the AFP announced Multi Agency Strike Team (MAST) detectives charged seven people and dismantled two criminal networks allegedly importing illegal tobacco and vapes into Australia.
The detectives leveraged their resources, intelligence and legislative powers, as well as trusted insiders who assisted transnational crime syndicates impacting New South Wales.
In May last year, investigators began tracking the alleged importation of large quantities of tobacco and vapes by a 53-year-old man and associates out of a Bankstown warehouse.
In February this year, MAST investigators executed a search warrant at a commercial storage facility in Burwood.
During their search, detectives uncovered 91,000 vapes with an estimated street value of $6.8 million, as well as a loaded Glock pistol.
A 28-year-old man was arrested and charged with possess unauthorised pistol and use, supply, acquire or possess defaced firearm.
He was refused bail and appeared before Burwood Local Court on February 4.
Months later, in July, investigators executed a further two search warrants at properties in Revesby and Marrickville.
They seized 191,654 vapes with an estimated street value of $14.3 million.
On Thursday, August 13, about 6am, investigators executed five search warrants in Bankstown, Barangaroo, Cremorne Point, Silverwater and Revesby, as well as commonwealth search warrants in Brisbane and Melbourne.
During the searches, 1.65 tonnes of 1,4 Butanediol with an estimated street value of $33 million, $300,000 in gold bullion, $1.5m worth of luxury watches, $1m of luxury handbags, two firearms, $172,000 in cash, 350,000 cigarettes and a BMW X5 were seized.
NSW Police Drug and Firearms Squad Commander Detective Superintendent John Watson said organised crime groups “have nowhere to hide”.
“The quantities of illicit tobacco and vapes seized in this investigation are staggering,” he said.
“These products are being moved through the same logistics networks that Australians rely on every day.
“Removing them from circulation prevents millions of dollars flowing back into organised crime.”
More than $25 million in assets, including 14 properties across NSW and Victoria, multiple bank accounts and significant shareholdings connected to logistics companies were frozen by the NSW Crime Commission.
The ABF has issued the immediate suspension of depot licences in Sydney and Brisbane, with a notice of intent to cancel in Melbourne for the national freight forwarding company.
Arrests
AFP officers arrested a 53-year-old man in Barangaroo who was charged with six counts of dishonestly obtain financial advantage by deception, five counts of knowingly deal with proceeds of crime, knowingly/recklessly direct criminal group assist crime and possess unauthorised pistol.
In Silverwater, another 53-year-old man was arrested and charged with six counts of dishonestly obtain financial advantage by deception, five counts of knowingly deal with proceeds of crime and knowingly/recklessly direct criminal group assist crime.
About 2pm on Thursday, a 46-year-old man was arrested at Sydney Airport and was charged with six counts of dishonestly obtain financial advantage by deception, five counts of knowingly deal with proceeds of crime and knowingly/recklessly direct criminal group assist crime.
All three were refused bail and face court.
Since May this year, about 88 air cargo consignments filled with illicit tobacco were allegedly imported and held in a storage facility before being distributed to stores and wholesale distributors.
Earlier in August, MAST investigators executed six search warrants in Prestons, Bass Hill, Roselands, Moorebank and Sefton, and seized 51 boxes of illicit tobacco, $690,000 in cash and steroids.
Following the investigation, a 26-year-old man was arrested at a home in Prestons before being charged with import tobacco products with intent to defraud revenue, convey tobacco products know of intent defraud revenue, and deal in indictable crime proceeds: money/property less than or equal to $1 million.
About 20 kilometres away, in Roselands, a 66-year-old woman was charged with deal with suspected proceeds of indictable crime greater than $100,000.
The 28-year-old was granted bail but the woman was refused – both will appear in court at a later date.
On Tuesday morning, during the execution of a search warrant in Bass Hill warrant, MAST investigators arrested a 27-year-old man at Bankstown Police Station.
He was charged with convey tobacco products know of intent defraud revenue and intend as instrument of crime, money/property greater than $100,000 – he faces court in September.