Police seize 150kg of black market tobacco

POLICE have raided two Far North properties and arrested a Kiwi woman in Innisfail in connection to a major stash of illegal cigarettes, chop chop rolling tobacco and vape products.

A 29-year-old New Zealand woman was charged with possession of 150kg of illicit tobacco and cigarettes in Innisfail on Wednesday after police conducted two search warrants following multiple reports from the community.

Police allegedly uncovered more than 87kg of cigarettes in fake packaging (65,600 individual cigarettes), illegally imported vape products and a quantity of cash in an Owen Street motel room in Innisfail.

Far North district acting detective inspector Jason Chetham said such imported vapes and illicit tobacco products contained dangerous chemicals which are banned in Australia and internationally.

“These products can have serious health implications for innocent members of the public who purchase them trusting they are compliant,” Det Insp Chetham said.

The woman has been charged with one count each of possession of tobacco (100 kgs or above), offence to buy or possess S4 or S8 medicines or hazardous poisons, selling or supplying tobacco products in non-compliant retail packaging and possess tainted property.

She is due to appear before Innisfail Magistrates Court on February 27.

Police also allegedly located approximately 70kg of loose tobacco and cigarettes in fake cartons and non-compliant packaging at a shop on Ernest St.

The bust follows a Cairns Post investigation which revealed a range of illicit tobacco products being sold in plain sight in Cairns in a nefarious black market trade reported to be impacting legitimate retailers and robbing the government of $1.8bn a year in lost excise.

Investigations are ongoing and police have urged anyone with information in relation to the possession of illicit tobacco or related non-compliant products to contact them quoting the reference number: QP2300101492.