| “Removing illicit products from circulation prevents millions of dollars from flowing back into organised crime.” |
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Seven Arrested as Police Smash $80 Million Illicit Tobacco and Vape Networks
14 August 2026
(See translation in Arabic section)
Sydney- Middle East Times Int’l: “Removing illicit products from circulation prevents millions of dollars from flowing back into organised crime.”
Multi-agency strike team detectives have arrested and charged seven people and dismantled two organized crime networks valued at $80 million here in Australia.
This comes after combined investigations into trusted insiders allegedly importing illicit tobacco and vapes. MAST, as it's also known, is made up of state and federal police along with various other authorities. The MAST, using investigators and analysts from both New South Wales and Commonwealth law enforcement agencies, leverages their capabilities, their resources, along with legislative powers to investigate and target trusted insiders who are assisting transnational serious organized crime syndicates impacting New South Wales and the rest of Australia.
In May last year investigators established Strike Force Borderdale to investigate the alleged importation and supply of large quantities of illicit tobacco and vapes by a 53 year old man and his associates using a bonded warehouse in Bankstown, Western Sydney to circumvent border controls. New South Wales Police, they carried out a number of raids so far this year, seizing more than $20 million worth of vapes. On Thursday morning multiple raids were carried out across Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
Across these searches investigators seized 1.65 tonnes of butanol with an estimated street value of $33 million, $300,000 in gold bullion, $1.5 million worth of luxury watches, $1 million of luxury handbags, two firearms, just under $200,000 in cash, 350,000 cigarettes, along with a BMW X5. New South Wales Crime Commission, they froze $25 million in assets including 14 properties across New South Wales and Victoria, multiple bank accounts, significant shareholdings connected to logistics companies and the seizure of a luxury motor vehicle here in New South Wales. Now on top of this Border Force has issued the immediate suspension of depot licenses in Sydney and Brisbane, along with a notice of intent to cancel in Melbourne for the national freight forwarding company that's in question.
Police say that these products, they're 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. TiK ToK |
