Indian-origin father and son have been sentenced for their roles in an illicit operation involving the importation and distribution of opium and tobacco uncovered by authorities earlier this year.
The South Australian pair faced court on 26 June 2025, after an Australian Border Force (ABF) investigation led to the discovery of drugs and illicit tobacco stashed across multiple sites in Adelaide, including their Indian grocery and takeaway store in Plympton.
The investigation began in January 2024, when ABF investigators executed a search warrant at the shop and discovered opium and illegal tobacco products hidden on the premises. CCTV footage showed the son selling the items to customers. The ABF seized: 2.2kg of opium (in paste and pellet form), 29kg of illicit tobacco, and 2,080 illicit cigarettes.
A follow-up search at their Trott Park residence uncovered another 432g of opium. Later that month, officers discovered a storage locker in Reynella rented by the father, where they seized an additional: 3.5kg of opium and 20kg of illicit tobacco.
ABF Acting Superintendent Steve Garden said the operation showcased the value of intelligence-led policing in tackling complex criminal networks.
“As Australia’s border security agency, we use all available intelligence to end the impact of border crimes in our community, no matter the amount of illicit goods or complexity of the criminal activity,” he said.
“Every seizure is a step towards safer streets and stronger communities.”
Health authorities have previously warned that the particular opium product involved in this case poses significant health risks, including addiction, overdose, and contamination with toxic substances like mercury and lead.
The son received a six-month prison sentence but was released immediately on a Commonwealth Recognisance Release Order (RRO) with a $500 bond and a one-year good behaviour order. He was also fined $6,000 and ordered to forfeit $23,450 under proceeds of crime legislation.
The father received a three-month sentence, also to be served on immediate release under an RRO, along with a $3,000 fine.
The charges against both men included possession of a border-controlled drug suspected of being unlawfully imported under the Criminal Code (Cth), and possession of tobacco suspected to have evaded customs duty under the Taxation Administration Act 1953 (Cth).
Authorities are urging anyone with information about suspicious activity that could compromise Australia’s border security to report it anonymously via Border Watch online.
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