According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), Melbourne police have arrested six members of a criminal gang suspected of attempting to illegally smuggle 10 million cigarettes from Vietnam into the state of Victoria. One of the individuals charged, a man named Hansem Zahra, is reportedly linked to a prominent Melbourne crime family.
Police estimate that the seized goods have a total value of 15 million Australian dollars (9,752,850 US dollars), only a small fraction of the billions of dollars worth of illegal cigarettes smuggled into Melbourne each year. Authorities say this bust is significant as it targeted "trusted insiders" in the freight and transport industry who are believed to be assisting criminal organizations in smuggling illegal tobacco, drugs, and e-cigarettes. Hansem Zahra, associated with a well-known crime family in Melbourne, is also considered part of the crackdown on the smuggling of millions of illegal cigarettes.
The Australian Federal Police and Victoria Police have announced a 16-month operation, codenamed Tyres, aimed at targeting illegal tobacco trade, which is linked to a series of arson cases in Victoria over the past 18 months. Victoria Police Commander Paul O'Halloran stated, "We can arrest those responsible for starting fires, we can investigate the local environment, and continue to respond, but we first need to prevent illicit goods from entering the country.
The police believe that the recent spate of arson incidents is connected to a turf war between the Hadara family and another criminal gang led by Kazem Hamed. Hamed is currently abroad.
Currently, six individuals are facing charges for allegedly smuggling 10 million cigarettes into the state of Victoria from Vietnam. The group appeared in court on Tuesday, February 27th, and the case has been adjourned until July 9th for trial.
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