Three members of one family are expected to face Perth Magistrates Court today (16 January, 2026) charged over their alleged roles in a crime group involved in the large-scale supply of illicit tobacco and vapes.
A woman, 47, her father, 68, and her son-in-law, 26, were arrested after the AFP seized about $1 million in cash and about five tonnes of tobacco products, including almost 30,000 vapes, yesterday (15 January, 2026).
The AFP executed multiple search warrants at homes, storage units and a tobacconist across Perth's southern suburbs and the South-West yesterday, as part of an investigation targeting the distribution and sale of illicit tobacco and vaping goods in Western Australia, and the dealing in the illicit proceeds of those sales.
The AFP launched an investigation in September, 2025, as a result of ongoing efforts to combat organised crime involvement in the illicit tobacco trade.
Inquiries stemming from previous operations in WA, including the arrest of a Baldivis man in March last year, identified other alleged members of an illicit tobacco syndicate, including the Baldivis man's sister and father.
Yesterday, the 68-year-old man was arrested at a Coodanup home, in the Mandurah area, where police found about $800,000 cash, two cash counting machines and illicit tobacco products.
When police searched a home in Eaton, near Bunbury, they found a cash counting machine beside a bed, as well as packages of cash totalling about $240,000, and the 47-year-old woman was arrested.
The AFP seized the cash from both homes as suspected proceeds of crime, after the man and woman allegedly did not provide reasonable explanations about the legal source of the money.
The 26-year-old man was arrested at a shopping centre in Bunbury and was charged after he allegedly refused to provide police access to his mobile phone. When police later searched an Australind home, they found illicit cigarettes and vapes.
The bulk of the illicit tobacco products seized yesterday were found at storage units around Mandurah, Bunbury, and Busselton.
Police allege if the products seized yesterday had been distributed illegally, it would have avoided millions of dollars in Commonwealth excise and taxes.
Multiple electronic devices were also seized during the warrants, and will undergo forensic examination.
AFP Commander Renee Colley said the AFP was committed to ensuring people did not profit from exploiting the wider community.
"Now more than ever, we need a whole of community commitment to changing the perception and acceptance of illicit tobacco," Commander Colley said.
"The illicit tobacco trade is directly linked to acts of violence in our community, and these crimes are executed by organised crime groups in their pursuit of power and profit.
"I am sure the community feels outraged that these groups are putting people's lives and livelihoods at risk for the sake of profit.
"Their illegal activities are a threat to Australia's national security and economy.
"The AFP - along with our partners - will continue to proactively target these individuals both here and offshore, to disrupt their illicit business models and prevent harm to innocent people and legitimate business owners."
The 47-year-old woman and the 68-year-old man have each been charged with one count of dealing in the proceeds of crime, money or property worth $100,000 or more, contrary to section 400.4(1) of the Criminal Code (Cth). This offence carries a maximum penalty of 20 years' imprisonment.
The 26-year-old Australind man has been charged with one count of failing to comply with an order, contrary to section 3LA(6) of the Crimes Act 1914 (Cth). This carries a maximum penalty of 10 years' imprisonment.
In the past 12 months, including yesterday, the AFP in WA has seized almost $4 million in cash, about 13 tonnes of illicit tobacco products and charged 10 people as part of efforts to combat organised crime involvement in the illicit tobacco trade.
Investigations are ongoing, including inquiries into links to broader organised crime syndicates being directed by individuals offshore and assets linked to the illicit tobacco trade.
