Smugglers of shisha busted at Avalon

TWO passengers have been busted for trying to smuggle more than $85,000 worth of molasses tobacco into Avalon Airport last week.

The Australian Border Force seized 71kg of the undeclared tobacco after unearthing it inside the luggage of the passengers who had arrived in Australia on a flight from Kuala Lumpur on August 19.

The passengers, an Australian woman and her female travel companion from New Zealand, were selected for examination by ABF officers.

ABF regional commander, Victoria, Craig Palmer said the detection at a smaller airport demonstrated the vigilance of border force officers around the country.

“No matter the size or location of the air or sea port, our high-skilled officers will find any goods that travellers attempt to smuggle in,” Mr Palmer said.

Molasses tobacco, commonly referred to as shisha, is fruit and herbal-based tobacco products.

The bust comes after the Geelong Advertiser previously reported on the growth rate of Geelong’s illegal tobacco trade increasing to a 9.4 per cent high in 2018.

Geelong police seized more than half a million dollars worth of “chop chop” tobacco destined for the cigarette black market at a storage facility in North Geelong on Friday.

In this case, the total revenue evaded was estimated to be more than $85,000.

The ABF has detected more than 286,600 incidents of illicit tobacco at the border, seizing more than 426.2 million cigarettes and 310.6 tonnes of tobacco, worth more than $668.9 million in evaded duty in the last financial year.

Mr Palmer said the number of detections could mean the message still may not be cutting through with some travellers. “Anyone who might be considering smuggling tobacco across our border to avoid duty should take notice — you will be caught,” he said.

Individuals charged with illicit tobacco offences face the potential maximum penalty for tobacco smuggling of 10 years’ imprisonment and/or a fine of up to five times the amount of duty evaded.