After seizing more than $1.2 million in illegal tobacco products transported on the Hume Highway recently, an intensive police road safety operation this week has now turned up thousands of illegal vapes.
In two days, police have seized more than 20,000 vapes and over $270,000 in cash during three separate road stops while patrolling the Hume near Gundagai as part of the five-day Operation Furious, aimed at reducing the number of impaired drivers and vehicle crashes on the busy arterial freeway.
On Monday around 12.15pm, police were conducting stationary roadside testing on the Hume Highway near Tumblong, south-east of Gundagai, when they pulled over a Toyota Hiace van.
They found 37 boxes containing 9400 vapes with an estimated street value of $329,000.
The 52-year-old male driver from Victoria was arrested and taken to Gundagai police station.
Around 7.55pm on Tuesday, June 18, officers were patrolling the Hume, primarily to focus on speed enforcement, when they pulled over a Mazda SUV with Victorian number plates.
A search of the vehicle found nine boxes containing 3600 vapes with an estimated street value of $126,000.
The 23-year-old driver was arrested and taken to Gundagai police station. He was bailed to appear in Gundagai Local Court on August 16.
Later that night about 11.25pm, police were conducting random breath testing on the Hume Highway, also near Gundagai, when they pulled over a Mercedes Sprinter van.
Police searched the vehicle and allegedly seized 38 boxes containing 7500 vapes with an estimated street value of $262,500, together with $274,450 in cash. They also found a man sleeping on a mattress in the rear of the van.
The 42-year-old male driver and the 29-year-old male passenger, both Chinese nationals, were arrested and taken to Wagga Wagga Police Station.
The men were charged with recklessly dealing with proceeds of crime, goods in personal custody suspected being stolen, and possessing a restricted substance sold by non-wholesaler. The driver was also issued an infringement notice for an unrestrained passenger.
They both were refused bail to appear in Wagga Wagga Local Court on Wednesday, June 19.
Over the June long weekend, on separate occasions police patrolling the Hume stopped three vehicles - two near Gundagai and one further north near Coolac - which revealed significant quantities of illegal tobacco and vapes.
One of the vans contained 270,000 cigarettes and 825kg of loose leaf tobacco with a value of $1.1 million. The same vehicle also had a hydraulically-operated cigarette-rolling machine on board.
Police say that over the past 12 months, vapes and illicit tobacco have become a significant driver of organised crime, with these groups competing for the lucrative profits generated. In late March, one major operation in Victoria seized and destroyed more than 2700 kg of illicit tobacco at a property in Pentland Hills.
The four acres of illicit tobacco crops had an estimated excise value of $5.2 million.
Australian Border Force say the current excise component of a 25-cigarette packet is $31.95, and the states and territories receive the GST of approximately $3.36 to $5.18. A similar pack of illegal cigarettes is sold for approximately $22.50-$25.
