The Australian Border Force (ABF) has stopped more than 400 tonnes of illicit tobacco from reaching the black market since its establishment in 2015.
The total duty evaded on the illicit tobacco is estimated at more than $294 million.
In the same period, more than 100 individuals have been charged with tobacco smuggling offences under the Customs Act 1901.
This includes the recent arrest of two Chinese nationals following the detection of more than 7.4 million cigarettes at the Sydney Container Examination Facility (CEF). The duo allegedly attempted to conceal the cigarettes within table tops. The total duty evaded is approximately $5 million.
In an unrelated seizure, a further 31 tonnes of tobacco concealed within hessian bags was detected at the Sydney CEF in April 2017. Investigations into this detection are continuing.
ABF Assistant Commissioner Wayne Buchhorn said illicit tobacco can be sold at more than 60 times its offshore price. He said the ABF will continue to target, disrupt and dismantle organised crime groups involved in illicit tobacco smuggling.
"Illicit tobacco is an increasingly attractive market to organised criminal syndicates due to the lucrative profits that can be made in evaded tax," Assistant Commissioner Buchhorn said.
"We're aware that these profits are often funnelled back into traditional organised crime activities, such as the illicit drugs trade. This is one of the key reasons we're taking such an active role, not just here, but with our neighbours too."
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