Five charged over $15 million illegal tobacco seizure
Five people have been charged and $15 million in illegal tobacco seized by detectives investigating an alleged multi-million-dollar money laundering syndicate.
Detectives allege the syndicate laundered $68 million over a two-year period, using cryptocurrency conversion to conceal the proceeds of crime.
$1.2 million in cash was seized in Burwood. NSW Police
On September 3, detectives arrested a 21-year-old man during a vehicle stop in Auburn and seized $160,000 in cash and 1260 illegal cigarettes.
Police then executed five search warrants in Auburn, Busby and Eastlakes where they allegedly seized almost 14 million illicit cigarettes, 29kg of loose-leaf tobacco, about $343,000 in cash and three gel-blaster rifles.
Million of illegal cigarettes were seized as well as loose-leaf tobacco and other illegal tobacco products. NSW Police
The 21-year-old was charged and appeared before court on Friday when he was bailed to appear in court again next month.
The charges follow the arrests of two men, aged 26 and 27, during a vehicle stop in Haymarket on January 22, where police seized a small amount of illegal tobacco and $23,000 in cash.
A search warrant in Burwood allegedly turned up another $1.25 million in cash, 55500 illegal cigarettes, money counters, watches and electronic devices.
Those arrests followed the arrests of two men aged 26 and 32 on December 8 last year after search warrants in Wentworthville, Auburn and Burwood revealed more than two million illicit cigarettes and $108,000 in cash.
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