Qld: Illegal tobacco seized in north Queensland
BRISBANE, Aug 11 AAP - Federal police have seized a semitrailer loaded with illegaltobacco near Cairns in far north Queensland.
They said the 1.2 tonne cargo was believed to be on its way to Victoria where it wouldbe sold on the black market as "chop chop", or cut tobacco, avoiding commonwealth excise.
Federal police spokesman Graham Ashton said one man had been arrested over the shipment.
Mr Ashton said the semitrailer, carrying 12 bales of illicit tobacco concealed insidecrates, was intercepted by federal police and Australian Tax Office agents at Walkermin,just inland from Cairns.
He said colleagues in Victoria had arrested a 43-year-old man from South Cranbourneand seized cash and machinery allegedly used to manufacture chop chop and enough seedsto potentially plant hundreds of acres of tobacco plants.
"At the current rate of duty this tobacco seizure represents a potential $320,000 inexcise that would have been evaded if this tobacco had been manufactured and sold to consumers,"
Mr Ashton said in a statement.
He said a man would appear in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on August 29 to facecharges of causing a loss to the commonwealth and possession of tobacco seeds.
During the past 12 months the federal police had seized more than 135 tonnes of illicitcut tobacco and tobacco leaf, Mr Ashton said.
AAP jfs/pw/br
KEYWORD: TOBACCO
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