Sydney, Jan 12: A young Swiss national has been busted with 2,520 cigarettes after allegedly attempting to smuggle the tobacco into Australia through Perth International Airport.
The 24-year-old, who arrived in Perth as a student visa holder, was stopped by Australian Border Force (ABF) officers and selected for a baggage examination.
During the search, officers allegedly uncovered 2,520 cigarettes concealed inside her luggage, despite the passenger declaring on her Incoming Passenger Card that she was not carrying more than 25 cigarettes.
ABF officers seized the cigarettes and refused immigration clearance, cancelling her visa under section 116 of the Migration Act 1958.
ABF Superintendent John Eldridge said the ABF is seeing an increase in attempts to illegally import tobacco and the consequences of being caught with undeclared tobacco are substantial.
“The ABF works closely with our international customs and law enforcement partners, though regular information sharing and intelligence building, to detect and intercept undeclared tobacco imports.”
“Not only has this passenger lost their cigarettes and wasted an airfare, but by having her visa cancelled she now faces an exclusion period of up to three years from re-entering Australia,” Superintendent Eldridge said.
“This should serve as a warning for anyone considering a similar attempt at bringing into Australia a prohibited import such as cigarettes, while also attempting to evade paying the duty on these products.”
The ABF said the seizure forms part of a broader rise in illicit tobacco detections at Australia’s international border, spanning air cargo, sea cargo and travellers, as highlighted in new ABF data on “Brazen attempts to import illicit tobacco”.
Anyone with information about suspicious activity which may impact the security of Australia’s borders is urged to report to Border Watch online. By reporting suspicious activities, you help protect Australia’s border and the community.
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