West Australian police enlisted the help of their Victorian counterparts to investigate an illicit tobacco network following series of arsons in April alleged to be linked to an organised crime group in Perth, police said on Friday.
Officers swooped on seven men and two women, some allegedly part of a Middle Eastern crime group, who they claim are responsible for operating an illicit tobacco trafficking ring.
Police executed 50 search warrants between Sunday and Tuesday, raiding private residences, storage units, and retail outlets including tobacco, convenience and gift stores in regional WA and Perth.
About 5.9 million in illegal cigarettes, 1.4 tonnes of illegal loose tobacco, $1.7 million in cash, 41,000 vapes and five cars with a combined value of more than $500,000 were seized.
Nine people have been charged with proceeds of crime offences, including a 29-year-old man who is alleged to be the head of the network in WA.
Police believe he moved from Victoria to the west in the past two years to establish the alleged illicit tobacco operation.
In Victoria officers connected to task forces Lunar and VIPER raided six properties in Sunbury, Wollert, Collingwood, Werribee and Altona Meadows on Monday and arrested four men.
They seized 15 firearms, about 2.4 million illicit cigarettes worth an estimated $2.4 million, a gel blaster and a stolen car.
A 29-year-old Sunbury man was arrested and charged with illegally possessing firearms, car theft and tax offences relating to illegal cigarettes.
Police have seized $10 million worth of illegal tobacco products. (HANDOUT/WA POLICE)
Raids on other homes discovered 50,000 illicit cigarettes, 30kg of loose tobacco, vapes, a crossbow, ammunition, cash and drugs including cocaine, steroids and magic mushrooms.
A 26-year-old Wollert man is expected to be charged with illicit tobacco and weapons offences, while a 28-year-old Collingwood man was charged and bailed over drug and proceeds of crime offences.
Attractive profit margins from illicit tobacco sales had created an environment where organised crime groups were aggressively and violently competing for market share, WA Police Detective Acting Superintendent Jeff Beros said.
"We have seen this violence and harm being undertaken in other parts of Australia and we are resolute in not letting these groups flourish in Western Australia," he said.
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