Man detained after 10m illicit cigarette seizure in Australia

A Sydney man has been arrested in Australia in connection with the seizure of almost 10m illegal cigarettes by the Australian Border Force-led Illicit Tobacco Taskforce (ITTF).

The haul was uncovered in a mis-declared container inspected at Sydney on May 16, according to a Mirage News report which says the smuggled cigarettes sought to evade more than A$9m (around $6m) in duties.

Search and seizure warrants were also executed at various residential and commercial premises in the Sydney region and investigators uncovered a small quantity of gold, high value personal items and A$15,000 in cash.

The maximum penalty for tobacco smuggling is 10 years’ imprisonment and/or a fine of up to five times the amount of duty evaded.