160 cartons of allegedly illegal cigarettes seized by police in routine traffic stop

Various kinds of allegedly illegal cigarettes have been seized. Photo: South Coast Police District Facebook.

One hundred and sixty cartons of what police allege are illegal cigarettes have been seized from a vehicle on the NSW South Coast.

NSW Police said that at about 9:50 pm on Tuesday (13 August), South Coast Police officers stopped a Volkswagen Caddy travelling south on the Old Princes Highway at Batemans Bay.

After speaking with the 21-year-old female driver, officers searched the vehicle and allegedly located and seized 160 cartons of illegal cigarettes.

These would have an estimated street value of $48,000, according to police.

Police say the 160 cartons have a combined street value of $48,000. Photo: South Coast Police District Facebook.

The woman was arrested and taken to Batemans Bay Police Station. She was charged with never having a license and driving a vehicle on the road, knowingly dealing with proceeds of crime and hindering a police officer in the execution of duty.

She was refused bail and appeared before Batemans Bay Local Court on Wednesday (14 August), where she was granted conditional bail.

The woman is scheduled to appear in Batemans Bay Local Court tomorrow (16 August).

NSW Police allege the seizure happened during a routine traffic stop. Photo: South Coast Police District Facebook.

At about 2:38 pm on Wednesday (14 August), South Coast Police also carried out a search warrant on a storage facility in Batemans Bay.

They allegedly located and seized a further 178,000 illegal cigarettes, with an estimated street value of $267,000.

A short time later, police executed another search warrant on a business at a tobacconist on Vulcan Street in Moruya.

During the search, police allegedly located and seized 31,960 illegal cigarettes with an estimated street value of $47,940 and more than $9600 in cash.

Investigations are ongoing. Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers by calling 1800 333 000.