Editor's note: Vision and images of the operations can be found here and here.

The importation and distribution of illicit tobacco remains a top focus for the Australian Border Force (ABF), as law enforcement, intelligence, and health agencies join together for a targeted Week of Action under Taskforce Morpheus.

Taskforce Morpheus is a joint initiative through which Australian state and territory police, Australian Federal Police, ABF, Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, Australian Defence Force, Australian Taxation Office, Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre, Services Australia and New Zealand Police collaboratively target the highest threat outlaw motorcycle gangs (OMCG) impacting Australia.

As part of this joint Week of Action, ABF investigators worked closely with health and other enforcement agencies across the country to focus on the illicit tobacco and vaping market, which has quickly become a lucrative option for criminal networks.

Whilst the ABF's focus was not solely on OMCG involvement, targeted and coordinated action was planned to disrupt the business model of several key distributors and actors within the illicit tobacco and vaping market.

Examples of such activity involving health agencies and the ABF include:

• On Tuesday (6 August 2024), Queensland Health inspectors– assisted by the ABF's Illicit Tobacco Taskforce (ITTF), the Therapeutics Goods Administration (TGA), the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and the Gold Coast Joint Organised Crime Taskforce – executed four warrants at tobacconists on the Gold Coast, with links to members and associates of an OMCG. During these warrants, more than 61,000 cigarette sticks were seized, along with more than 15kg of loose leaf tobacco.

• Also on Tuesday (6 August 2024), the South Australia's Consumer and Business Services and ABF ITTF investigators executed two compliance inspections at tobacco stores in Adelaide's northern suburbs. During this activity, more than 37,000 cigarette sticks, 126kg of shisha tobacco, 27 individual cigars, 2372 disposable vapes, and 2.3kg of loose leaf tobacco were seized.

• The following day (Wednesday, 7 August 2024), ABF ITTF officers executed a Commonwealth search warrant at a storage facility in South Australia, where they seized 319,800 illicit tobacco cigarettes. Investigations into the importation and storage of these items is ongoing.

• On Thursday (8 August 2024), NSW Health inspectors, TGA and ABF ITTF investigators executed three inspections at tobacconists on the Central Coast, believed to have links to organised criminal networks. During this activity, almost 4,000 disposable vapes and about 110,000 illicit tobacco cigarettes were seized.

ABF officers also interacted with four OMCG members and associates either arriving or departing from Australian airports. No further actions were taken.

Interim Illicit Tobacco and E-Cigarette Commissioner (ITEC) Erin Dale said this coordinated activity allows enforcement and health agencies to work together to defeat this common threat.

"Vaping is a complex issue which requires a multi-jurisdictional response to tackle it, especially through reducing demand and taking profitability out of the crime," Commissioner Dale said.

"Joint activity – such as this under Task Force Morpheus – allows all the combat agencies to come together and work to find solutions to the distribution and exploitation of this product.

"During this activity, officers identified illicit tobacco being sold under the counter for discounted prices – not only does this avoid the tax excise, but the purchasing of this product only continues to fund the criminal behaviour of the syndicates importing and supplying it. So too does the cheap and now prohibited sale of vaping products, with some of the stores having these items on clear display for customers.

"As Interim ITEC Commissioner, I intend to keep working with all levels of government, enforcement agencies and industry to address the rising concerns from vaping and the importation of illicit tobacco. We need to work collaboratively to stop this supply chain."

ABF Commander Ken McKern said disrupting the illicit tobacco market is a prime focus for the ABF.

"As a result of this targeted activity, 742,811 cigarettes, 76kg of loose leaf tobacco, 127kg of shisha and 9,338 disposable vapes were seized," Commander McKern said.

"Criminal networks see the illicit tobacco market as a low risk, high return commodity – these organised crime groups are highly adaptive and resilient. Following raids, product is often moved, or a new shop can pop up in another location soon after.

"We will continue to disrupt these syndicate's business models, and some of the best approaches to doing so is by joining forces with our partner agencies, sharing intelligence, and using all available agency powers and legislation, to dismantle these criminal operations."