Two freight firms at the centre of a major organised crime investigation have been kicked out of Australia’s customs system after raids uncovered hundreds of thousands of vapes, illicit cigarettes, nicotine pouches and a haul of other contraband.
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raids → organise → contraband
Australian Border Force cancelled the customs licences of Top Logistics Australia and a closely linked company, cutting them off from the system used to receive, store and handle goods entering the country.
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Force → cancel → country
The crackdown comes as authorities target organised crime’s growing involvement in the illicit tobacco and vaping trade, with the federal government warning that criminal syndicates are increasingly exploiting legitimate commercial infrastructure to move illegal goods into Australia.
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syndicates → come → Australia
The crisis, which has led to escalating violent crime, including firebombings in cities across the country, has sparked fierce political debate over Commonwealth-imposed excise, with a booming black market now accounting for more than half of nicotine consumed in Australia.
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market → lead → Australia
Eight search warrants were executed across NSW, Queensland and Victoria in a major multi-agency operation last month which involved more than 111 Border Force officers, police, the tax office and other agencies descending on the logistics network.
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which → execute → network
Investigators seized 288,814 vapes, 300,000 illicit cigarette sticks, 60,000 nicotine pouches and 1650 litres of 1,4-Butanediol, along with a firearm and about $3 million worth of luxury goods, cash and precious metals.
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Investigators → seize → goods
About $22 million in property, bank accounts and shareholdings were also restrained.
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million → restrain → property
Three people, including the sole director of Top Logistics Australia – 53-year-old Peter Ping Xie – were arrested and charged with serious offences.
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people → include → offences
Dubbed Strike Force Borderdale, authorities are investigating allegations that Australia’s freight forwarding network was exploited to facilitate the importation and distribution of illicit commodities.
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network → dub → commodities
PDK Logistics, which traded as Top Logistics Victoria, has also lost its customs depot licence after Border Force raised significant concerns about governance, operational integration and organisational control.
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Force → trade → governance
The two companies had significant ownership, management and operational links, according to Border Force.
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companies → have → Force
The agency said it had identified significant compliance concerns with Top Logistics Australia over an extended period and had responded with education, formal warnings, infringement notices and compliance monitoring.
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it → say → education
The cancelled licences covered facilities at Bankstown in NSW and Coopers Plains in Queensland.
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licences → cancel → Queensland
Border Force has also begun the process of terminating the companies’ access to the Department of Home Affairs’ Integrated Cargo System, effectively shutting them out of the system used to report cargo.
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Force → begin → cargo
The companies were contacted for comment.
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companies → contact → comment
Assistant Minister for Customs Julian Hill said the government would use every tool and power available to disrupt criminal networks and stop illegal goods from entering Australia.
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government → say → Australia
“Record levels of seizures of illicit tobacco and vapes at the border are continuing, alongside actions to protect supply chains from criminal infiltration,” he said.
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he → continue → infiltration
“New laws will further strengthen requirements on customs brokers and warehouse operators to take all reasonable steps to ensure criminals do not infiltrate the supply and logistics chains, whether for tobacco or any other illicit goods.”
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criminals → strengthen → tobacco
Amid pressure from One Nation and the Coalition to axe excise on tobacco by up to 80 per cent to help combat the illicit trade, the government introduced an overhaul of customs rules to federal parliament last week, aiming to make it easier for law enforcement agencies to seize illegal tobacco.
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agencies → axe → tobacco
Under previous customs rules, it had to be proved illicit tobacco was being knowingly imported illegally.
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tobacco → have → rules
The reforms mean cigarettes sold for less than the amount of excise and GST, presented in different packaging or concealed from display would be sufficient grounds for authorities to charge.
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authorities → mean → display
Opposition Leader Angus Taylor last month accused Labor of “funding organised crime” by keeping the taxes high on legal tobacco products while unveiling the Coalition’s plan to tackle the illicit market.
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Taylor → accuse → market
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Subscribers → sign → newsletter
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