News

Stores in Shepparton, Seymour and Yarrawonga raided in statewide operation

By Murray Silby

Oct 30, 2023

**Regional raids:** Six stores in Shepparton and one each in Seymour and Yarrawonga have been raided by police as part of a statewide illicit tobacco investigation. Photo by Rechelle Zammit

Victoria Police say more than $2 million worth of illicit tobacco products have been seized in centres across regional Victoria, including Shepparton.

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Victoria Police said members from the Viper taskforce executed 16 warrants across regional Victoria on Thursday, October 27, as part of the ongoing Taskforce Lunar investigation into organised crime syndicates linked to illicit tobacco.

Police from the Shepparton, Seymour, Yarrawonga and Ballarat crime investigation units, along with representatives from the Australian Taxation Office and Australian Border Force’s Illicit Tobacco Taskforce, were also involved in the raids.

A total of 16 stores were raided, including six in Shepparton, one each in Seymour and Yarrawonga and eight in Ballarat.

Police say the raids resulted in the seizure of:

39,184 e-cigarettes (vapes) with a street value of more than $1.1 million
611,833 cigarettes with duty excise evaded totalling more than $760,000
153kg of loose tobacco with duty excise evaded totalling more than $280,000
More than $16,000 in cash, which police will allege to be the proceeds of crime

The raids across regional Victoria follow 36 warrants being executed on Wednesday, October 18 and Thursday, October 19 at 34 retail outlets and two residential properties across Melbourne.

Police say the metropolitan and regional operations combined have seen total seizures of:

92,331 e-cigarettes (vapes), with a street value of over $2.7 million
1,324,268 cigarettes with duty excise evaded totalling over $1.6 million
Approximately 901kg of loose-leaf tobacco with duty excise evaded totalling $1.6 million
2kg of cannabis
1kg of cocaine
$42,901 proceeds of crime
2 x ASP batons
industrial tobacco manufacturing equipment

The operations are part of the Taskforce Lunar investigation into organised crime syndicates that police suspect are involved in the illicit tobacco trade and an ongoing dispute for profit.

That dispute is suspected to be linked to a series of arson attacks on tobacco product shops, particularly in Melbourne.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential crime report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au