Two brothers have faced court over the seizure of more than five tonnes of illicit cigarettes, vapes and loose tobacco in Western Australia.
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) charged a 32-year-old man from Nedlands and a 33-year-old man from Dianella after a joint investigation with the WA Police and Australian Border Force into a national organised crime syndicate allegedly selling illicit tobacco and vaping products in WA, then sending profits to the eastern states.
The charges follow raids on 20 August 2025, where authorities executed multiple search warrants in Perth, seizing more than four million cigarettes, almost 50,500 vapes, and close to 900kg of loose-leaf tobacco. Items were found at a Wangara warehouse, five storage units across Perth, two vehicles, and at the Dianella man’s home. Police allege distributing the products would have avoided about $8 million in Commonwealth excise and taxes.
Matt Taylor, Detective Acting Superintendent at the AFP, said the operation targeted organised crime’s involvement in illicit tobacco trafficking.
“Organised crime’s bid to control and reap multimillion-dollar profits from this black-market trade has led to violent crimes in WA and across the country, including fire-bombings, extortion and firearms offences, put law-abiding citizens’ lives and their livelihoods at risk.
“This is a threat to Australia’s national security, and the AFP is committed to protecting the community by dismantling illegal operations, putting those involved before the courts and using proceeds of crime laws to strip them of their ill-gotten gains.”
The men were each charged with possession of more than 500kg of tobacco and possession of vaping goods 1,000 times the commercial quantity.
The charges for carrying over 500kg are a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment and/or a $330,000 fine, while possessing more than 1,000 times the commercial quantity of vapes carries a maximum penalty of seven years’ imprisonment and/or a $1.65 million fine.
The pair were granted bail with a $20,000 personal undertaking and will appear in court on November 21.
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