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● Police seized a Lamborghini Coupe froma Hoppers Crossing address. ■ Detectives last week charged eight people with Commonwealth offences for their part in directing and assisting an organised crime syndicate. It will be alleged the syndicate was leasing stores, employing staff as supervisors, store managers and couriers and commencing deliveries under the guise of operating the stores as legitimate gifts and confectionary stores, while selling only illicit tobacco and related products. tribute e-cigarettes. He was to appear at Investigators have obtained transactional Melbourne Magistrates’ Court. records which reflect the syndicate earned over Directing the activities of a criminal $30M in a 12-month period through the sale of organisation carries a maximum penalty of 15 illicit tobacco in these stores. years in prison. Supported by the Australian Federal Police, Four other people were arrested and have the Australian Taxation Office, Australian Bor- been charged with the same offences: der Force’s Illicit Tobacco Taskforce and ■ A 26-year-old Hoppers Crossing man, who Therapeutic Goods Administration, officers was to appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ executed more than 27 search warrants across Court, Victoria as part of an ongoing investigation tar- ■ A 21-year-old Hoppers Crossing man, who geting serious organised crime in the illicit to- was to appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ bacco market. Court, Search warrants were executed from 5am ■ A 50-year-old Grovedale woman, and last Tuesday (Oct. 22) at tobacco stores, ware- ■ A 51-year-old Glen Waverley man, both of houses and residential addresses statewide. whom have been bailed to appear at Melbourne There was assistance from Taskforce Lu- Magistrates’ Court on Monday, October 29. nar, the Armed Crime Squad, the Illicit FireFive other people were arrested, including: arms Squad, Financial Crime Squad, Crimi- ■ A 25-year-old Hoppers Crossing man, who nal Proceeds Squad, Joint Organised Crime was arrested in Ararat and charged with supTaskforce, Echo Taskforce, Cybercrime Squad, port a criminal organisation and illicit tobacco Joint Anti-Child Exploitation Team, offences, Wyndham, Knox, Hobsons Bay, Echuca, ■ A 46-year-old Ararat man, who was arrested Cobram, Ararat, Northern Grampians and in Ararat and charged with support a criminal Geelong Crime Investigation Units, Westgate organisation and illicit tobacco offences, Divisional Response Unit, Eastern Region ■ A 38-year-old Tarneit man who was arrested Crime Squad and State Highway Patrol. attempting to remove stock from a retail outlet Three industrial properties in Truganina were in Werribee. He was charged with support a searched, as well as residential addresses in criminal organisation and illicit tobacco ofTruganina, Hoppers Crossing (3), Glen fences, Waverley, Lara, Grovedale, Footscray and ■ A 50-year-old Mount Cotterill man was arMount Cottrell, and tobacco stores in Herne rested in relation to illicit tobacco and possesHill, Bell Park, Grovedale, Werribee (2), Dal- sion of commercial cigarette manufacturing las, Kensington, Boronia, Ararat (3), Kyabram, equipment located. He was released and is exEchuca (2) and Yarrawonga. pected to be charged on summons, and A 25-year-old Hoppers Crossing man was ■ A 21-year-old Yarrawonga man was interarrested at Melbourne Airport just before 6am. viewed and released, he is also expected to be He was charged with the Commonwealth charged on summons. offence of directing the activities of a criminal Police seized a Lamborghini Coupe and organisation, possess tobacco products with the Range Rover from the Hoppers Crossing adintent of defrauding the revenue (Customs Act dress, at least 600,000 illicit tobacco sticks, over 1901), possess proceeds of crime and sell/dis- 75kgs of loose-leaf tobacco and cash.
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