Illicit tobacco crops worth more than $84m seized in raids near Murray River
MonMonday 8
MarMarch 2021 at 3:06am
A tobacco crop found in a raid on a south-west New South Wales property being destroyed.
(
Share
Print text only
Cancel
Authorities say illicit tobacco crops seized and destroyed in raids on properties near the Murray River this month are among the biggest busts of their kind in Australia.
Key points:
Authorities estimate the tobacco seized was worth $84.3 million
Each year, illicit tobacco takes $822 million out of Australia s tax coffers
Officers from the multi-agency Illicit Tobacco Taskforce uncovered more than 40 hectares of the plant growing on properties either side of the Victoria-New South Wales border, near the regional centre of Swan Hill.
Over $84million worth of illegal tobacco seized during two-day blitz dailymail.co.uk - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from dailymail.co.uk Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Tuesday, 26 January 2021, 1:05 pm
All active fire permits in the Nelson Tasman district
with the exception of Nelson Lakes, Murchison, and Golden
Bay West have been placed on a 48 hour suspension, effective
immediately says Principal Rural Fire Officer Ian
Reade. Like quite a bit of the country, we are on
high alert due to the predicted weather forecast across the
New Zealand over the next few days, says Ian
Reade. It is also to conserve resources should we be
asked to assist with any large wildfire emergency occurring
within the Te Ihu region.
Permits are suspended in
the following zones: Coastal Rural, Coastal Urban, Waimea
Reade said permits were suspended in the following zones: Coastal Rural, Coastal Urban, Waimea Rural, Nelson Rural, Nelson Urban, Golden Bay East and all Golden Bay beaches. Reade said Fire and Emergency was sending notifications to all holders of active permits to advise them of the situation. “We will reassess the situation on Thursday should the conditions ease. “I also ask people to be extra vigilant about fire danger, particularly over the next few days.” Reade said a spark was all it took to start a wildfire in dry conditions. “We are asking builders and contractors to take extra care using power tools that might cause sparks in the open air. This is particularly important for grinding and cutting metals, especially if they are near vegetation.