South Australian police have delivered a major blow to the state’s illicit tobacco trade by seizing the largest stockpile ever discovered in the state, worth nearly $8.1 million.
Operation Eclipse detectives discovered the haul on August 13th, which was located inside an Edinburgh industrial warehouse allegedly being used as a distribution hub for an organised crime syndicate.
Police found 8.6 million cigarettes valued at $6.9 million, 1.35 million tobacco tubes worth $674,000, and more than one tonne of loose tobacco worth half a million dollars.
Detective Chief Inspector Brett Featherby shared, “This is a major blow to an organised crime syndicate involved in the illicit tobacco market in South Australia.
“Operation Eclipse continues to successfully identify opportunities to disrupt organised crime syndicates driving the illicit tobacco market in South Australia.
“Investigations are also continuing to identify and disrupt those involved in the cross-border trafficking of illicit tobacco into South Australia.”
This discovery came just days after another major bust, as on August 11th, police arrested a 57-year-old Pooraka man in connection with a $1.65 million haul of illicit tobacco, and more than $19,700 in cash. He has been charged with three counts of money laundering and granted police bail to appear in the Elizabeth Magistrates Court.
“Coordination of a whole of SAPOL response has suppressed and disrupted the activities of organised crime syndicates driving serious criminal offending aligned with the illicit tobacco market in SA, including arsons and offences of violence,” said Featherby.
“The response has had a significant impact on organised crime financial operations and criminal activity and will continue to do so.”
Since its beginning, Operation Eclipse has restrained $22.8 million in assets, which have all allegedly been linked to crime, seized more than $2.5 million in cash, and confiscated $36.8 million worth of illicit tobacco products.
The police say that this record-breaking haul is even more proof of the scale of South Australia’s black-market tobacco trade, but symbolic of their commitment to dismantling the criminal networks behind it.
