Victoria Police can confirm Taskforce Lunar will transition into a new phase of operation on 1 November.
The unit will transition back into the Victoria Police Gang Crime Squad, which has primacy for all state-based serious offending linked to gangs.
The Gang Crime Squad will now have primacy for all state-based serious offending linked to organised crime groups involved in the illicit tobacco trade as part of Operation Lunar.
All current Taskforce Lunar investigations will fall under the remit of the Gang Crime Squad, including current matters before the court.
These changes also acknowledge the significant overlap between organised crime entities, including street gangs and middle eastern organised crime groups, currently involved in serious and violent offending linked to the illicit tobacco and vape trade.
As part of the changes, Victoria Police will also increase collaboration with several Australian law enforcement agencies, including the Australian Federal Police and Australian Border Force.
They will look at several new joint strategies to prevent and disrupt offending by entities in Victoria, across Australia and internationally that are linked to the illicit tobacco trade.
These changes mean an even greater focus on the targeting of off-shore organised crime entities, syndicate leaders and facilitators.
Taskforce Lunar was established in October 2023 following a significant increase in organised crime activity linked to the illicit tobacco trade, in particular an escalation in arson and extortions within tobacco retail outlets.
Since that time, they have arrested over 170 people, executed 350 search warrants and seized more than $50M worth of illicit tobacco, vapes and cash as well as 40 firearms.
In the first year of operation, Taskforce Lunar investigated 82 arsons linked to organised crime groups involved in the illicit tobacco trade, while in their second year we have seen a decline to 41.
Taskforce Lunar has also been instrumental in building a significant contemporary intelligence base in relation to these criminal entities, with that information proving instrumental in a range of investigations across the organisation.
Much of this information has been further shared with other state and Commonwealth law enforcement and regulatory agencies.
Victoria Police will continue to work closely with a range of other agencies including the Australian Federal Police, Australian Border Force, Australian Crime Intelligence Commission, Australian Tax Office and Therapeutic Goods Administration to target those serious and organised crime groups involved in the illicit tobacco trade.
Victoria Police also acknowledges the recent establishment of Tobacco Licensing Victoria and the role and responsibilities the new regulator plays in ensuring the lawful supply of tobacco products in Victoria, including licensing and enforcement.
Quotes attributable to Assistant Commissioner Martin O'Brien, Crime Command:
"Taskforce Lunar was established in 2023 in the wake of a rise in arson attacks across Victoria linked to disputes between organised crime syndicates involved in the illicit tobacco trade.
"As we said from the start, these offences put both the lives and livelihoods of many Victorians at risk because we know that fire is ultimately uncontrollable. We also saw a lot of violent and indiscriminate offending linked to these groups, particularly involving the use of firearms.
"As the landscape has evolved, and the nature of offending in Victoria has started to change, we recognise the need for even greater collaboration with our law enforcement partners to target those involved in criminality here in Victoria but based overseas.
"The creation of Taskforce Lunar also allowed us to build significant new intelligence around these organised crime syndicates, which we also shared with a range of licensing and enforcement agencies.
"There is an added complexity to targeting those syndicate leaders offshore, however it is crucial if we want to affect long-term change locally. More importantly, we can only make a difference long term by working in collaboration with our law enforcement partners.
"We have had a number of successes here in Victoria where we have been able to identify offenders and put them before the court. Under Operation Lunar we will continue to target those offenders, while also expanding our focus on the international links in an effort to disrupt and dismantle these syndicates at every level."
