Two iconic off-roaders had been among the many $8.4 million in suspected proceeds of crime seized by a joint police taskforce investigating unlawful tobacco commerce.
The Felony Property Confiscation Taskforce (CACT), led by the Australian Federal Police (AFP), has restrained a Mercedes-AMG G63 and a Toyota LandCruiser 70 Collection, in addition to two business and three residential properties, a jetski, and roughly $1 million throughout three financial institution accounts.
Underneath the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (Cth), these belongings will be liquidated by the Australian Monetary Safety Authority Official Trustee, with the funds generated from this positioned into the Confiscated Property Account managed by the Official Trustee after which distributed to crime prevention and diversion applications.
The asset seizures observe an investigation into the sale of illicit tobacco within the Northern Territory, after NT Police alerted the AFP it had seized hundreds of cigarettes and vapes which it alleges had been supposed to be bought by a 27-year-old Queensland man within the NT.
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NT Police seized nearly 946,000 cigarettes, greater than 12,000 nicotine vapes, nearly 86kg of free tobacco, 1400 tobacco pouches with counterfeit well being warning labels, and 644 nitrous oxide canisters, all throughout a interval of lower than six months between February and June 2024.
AFP investigators on the CACT subsequently investigated the person’s monetary actions beneath the suspicion the worth of his belongings exceeded his lawfully declared revenue, subsequently resulting in confiscation orders being drawn up.
Proceeds of crime laws permit police to restrain each the proceeds and instrument of crime and situation pecuniary penalty and unexplained wealth orders, based mostly on a civil customary of proof, and these legal guidelines permit for seizures separate to any legal prosecution – and even when there’s no associated legal investigation or prosecution in any respect.
The AFP-led CACT works with authorities our bodies just like the Australian Taxation Workplace (ATO) and Australian Border Drive to hint and finally confiscate legal belongings.
“The AFP and our companions are dedicated to focusing on the proceeds, devices and advantages of the illicit tobacco commerce,” mentioned AFP Commander Jason Kennedy.
“The flexibility to restrain and confiscate the belongings of those that act illegally sends the message that they not solely threat a time period of imprisonment, but in addition the lack of their ill-gotten good points.”
Current CACT operations have included a seizure of greater than $20 million in belongings in New South Wales earlier this yr, when regulation enforcement seized a complete of 12 autos together with two Ferraris, two Lamborghinis and one McLaren, plus one other within the state that noticed three Lamborghinis and a McLaren amongst a complete of 9 autos seized.
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