Australian Border Force (ABF) officers have seized around 3.6 million cigarettes and more than five tonnes of loose-leaf tobacco during a series of raids targeting a local supply network in Sydney.
The operation, carried out across multiple locations in Sydney’s west and north, follows an investigation that began in January 2026 after about 10 tonnes of illicit tobacco were intercepted at the ABF’s Port Botany facility. Authorities linked that consignment to three earlier shipments allegedly containing millions of untaxed cigarettes.
ABF investigators allege the syndicate operated under multiple business names to import illicit tobacco before transferring the goods to a storage unit in Auburn.
On 9 March, officers executed simultaneous search warrants at several sites, including a South Strathfield address and the Auburn storage unit. At the storage facility, investigators seized 27 pallets of tobacco weighing approximately five tonnes, 2.6 million cigarettes, a pallet of BB guns, and documents relevant to the inquiry. Two men, aged 25 and 47, who were found to be unlawful non-citizens, were detained during the operation.
At the Strathfield address, officers also recovered roughly $263,000 in cash, 400 illicit cigarettes, and digital devices that will undergo forensic examination. Additional warrants were carried out on 13 March in Chipping Norton and Rydalmere, yielding more than one million cigarettes and over 17 kilograms of loose tobacco.
ABF Superintendent Shaun Baker emphasised that illicit tobacco trafficking fuels serious criminal activity. He said the operation demonstrates the ABF’s commitment to dismantling these networks and making Australia’s borders a hostile environment for criminal profiteering.
Investigations are ongoing, and authorities continue to urge members of the public to report any suspicious activity through the Border Watch online portal to help protect Australia’s borders and communities.
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