BRISBANE (Queensland), 6 May, 2026: A big illegal tobacco sales and related fraudulent documentation racket involving an Indian national has been busted by the Australian Border Force (ABF), Australian Federal Police (AFP), Queensland Police Service, and the Queensland Health.
The accused based illegally in Brisbane tried to get permanent residency in Australia by giving false information to the Home Affairs Department. A big cash amount and related documents and keys etc. were seized in raids at his residence.
The accused Indian national is scheduled to appear in Brisbane Magistrates Court on 26 June, 2026, charged with allegedly profiting from illicit tobacco sales while providing fraudulent immigration information and documentation to public officials, a media release emailed today to South Asia Times (SAT) says.
It says: “The AFP will allege the man, 33, is part of an illicit tobacco syndicate and facilitated the movement of more than $7 million from illicit tobacco sales through his bank account. It will be alleged the tobacco sales came from multiple outlets in Brisbane’s outer suburbs.
It will also be alleged the man is living in Australia unlawfully and provided false information to Australian immigration officials as part of sustained efforts to obtain permanent residency.
AFP investigators executed a search warrant at a home in the Brisbane suburb of Kuraby on 27 April, 2026, with assistance from Australian Border Force (ABF) and the Queensland Police Service (QPS).
During the search, police located and seized an estimated $70,000 cash, four mobile phones, business documents and the keys to a commercial storage shed.
The search also located a number of boxes of illicit vapes, which were forfeited to the Therapeutic Goods Administration.
Another search warrant was executed the same day (27 April, 2026) by the QPS at a Rochedale commercial storage unit suspected to be an illicit tobacco distribution centre. No items were located.”
“The Kuraby man was charged with:
- One count of dealing with proceeds of crime less than $100,000, contrary to section 400.9(1A) of the Criminal Code (Cth). This offence carries a maximum penalty of four years’ imprisonment;
- One count of providing a false document and false or misleading information, contrary to section 234 of the Migration Act 1958 (Cth). This offence carries a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment;
- One count of dishonestly influencing a public official, contrary to s135.1(7) of the Criminal Code (Cth). This offence carries a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment; and
- One count of possessing a commercial quantity of vaping goods, contrary to s41QC(1) of the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989 (Cth). This offence carries a maximum penalty of two years’ imprisonment,” the media release adds.
