15 August 2024

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

| Claire Sams
Photographs of cigarette cartons

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.

Photographs of cigarette cartons

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.

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

Photographs of cigarette cartons

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.

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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.

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