More than a million cigarettes illegally imported into Australia under a layer of loose tea have been seized by border officials in Melbourne.
Two men have been arrested after Australian Border Force officers stopped a rental truck in Tullamarine containing $10 million worth of illegal tobacco on Thursday.
It’s alleged as well as the latest 1.1 million cigarette consignment the pair were involved in importing multiple air cargo consignments, declared as black tea from the United Arab Emirates.
ABF acting commander Colin Drysdale says the seizure will have a “significant impact” on illicit tobacco supplies in Melbourne.
Joint police and border authority operations like this are stopping the $600 million a year illegal tobacco market lining the pockets of organised crime syndicates, he said.