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BEVERIDGE • BROADFORD • CLONBINANE • DONNYBROOK • HEATHCOTE JUNCTION • KILMORE • PUCKAPUNYAL • SEYMOUR • TALLAROOK • TRAWOOL • WALLAN • WANDONG Not associated with any other publication in this area.
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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2023
H-G17
ILLEGAL TOBACCO: RAID AT SEYMOUR
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■ Premises at Seymour were raided last Thursday (Oct. 26) as part of a statewide Police action against illegal tobacco and organised crime. Police attended 16 stores in Shepparton (6), Seymour, Yarrawonga and Ballarat (8). Officers from VIPER Taskforce executed the warrants across regional Victoria as part of the ongoing Taskforce Lunar investigation into crime syndicates. Members of the taskforce were joined at the warrants by Police including Seymour Crime Investigation Units, along with representatives from the Australian Tax Office and the Australian Border Force’s Illicit Tobacco Taskforce. There were seizures of: ■ 39,184 e-cigarettes (vapes) with a street value of over $1.1M; ■ 611,833 cigarettes with duty excise evaded totalling over $760,000; ■ 153kg of loose tobacco with duty excise evaded totalling over $280,000; and ■ More than $16,000 cash, which police will allege to be the proceeds of crime. An additional 36 warrants were executed on Wednesday (Oct. 18) and Thursday (Oct. 19) at 34 retail outlets and two residential properties across Melbourne. Six people were arrested over the two-day period, with a 40-year-old man charged in relation to drug trafficking offences. The other five people were released pending further enquiries. The combined seizures of the four-day operation include; ■ 92,331 e-cigarettes (vapes), with a street value of over $2.7M; ■ 1,324,268 cigarettes with duty excise evaded totalling over $1.6M; ■ Approximately 901kg loose-leaf tobacco – with duty excise evaded totalling $1.6M; ■ 2kg of cannabis; ■ 1kg of cocaine; ■ $42,901 proceeds of crime;
■ 2 x ASP batons; and ■ industrial tobacco manufacturing equipment. The warrants form part of the Taskforce Lunar investigation into organised crime syndicates believed to be heavily involved in the illicit tobacco trade and an ongoing dispute for profit. These warrants were executed with the support of the Australian Border Force’s Illicit Tobacco Taskforce and the Therapeutic Goods Administration.
Five times over legal limit
■ State Highway Patrol High Risk Driving Unit intercepted a speeding driver on the Hume Hwy on Thursday afternoon. It is alleged the Lexus driver was travelling along the Hume Hwy through Longwood East when he was detected travelling at 178kmh in a 110-jmh zone about 2pm. A 42-year-old man was intercepted and provided an evidentiary breath test of .284. The Geelong man, who was unlicensed, had his car impounded for 30 days and was issued a notice of immediate driving ban. It is expected he will be summonsed to appear at court at a later date.
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NORTH CENTRAL HIRE. 4/145 Wimble St, Seymour P: 5792 2922. F: 5792 4220 northcentralhire@hotmail.com