An Indonesian man has been returned to his home country after being caught trying to smuggle more than 45,000 cigarettes into Australia.
The man arrived at Sydney airport on a flight from Jakarta on Saturday, 14 March 2020. He was accompanied by a woman and two children.
Australian Border Force (ABF) officers examined the man's baggage and located 45,880 undeclared cigarette sticks, which were not concealed. The duty evaded is estimated at $48,146.
The maximum allowance for duty free cigarettes being brought into Australia is 25 sticks.
The woman and two children were allowed to enter Australia. The man was refused entry and was detained before being returned to Indonesia.
ABF Regional Commander for NSW Danielle Yannopoulos said Border Force officers are always on the lookout for passengers trying to smuggle cigarettes into Australia.
"If you attempt to bring tobacco above the duty-free limit into Australia without declaring it, you are smuggling tobacco," Commander Yannopoulos said.
"The community needs to know that the ABF is alert to travellers that attempt to smuggle tobacco into Australia and takes this type of behaviour very seriously. These offenders will be caught and the ABF has a range of enforcement options available to punish offenders, including fines and possible prosecution."
