Police seized more than 300,000 cigarettes and more than $12,000 in cash in raids on five businesses, a house and a storage shed in Shepparton and Mooroopna on Wednesday morning.
Shepparton Divisional Tasking Unit Sergeant Peter Warden said police executed search warrants on four Shepparton businesses and one in Mooroopna, as well as a Shepparton house and a storage shed in Mooroopna over the alleged sale of illegal tobacco.
As well as the cigarettes and cash, police also seized “a large quantity” of loose tobacco.
Four people have been interviewed by police and will be summonsed to court on charges of selling excisable goods without paying tax, dealing with property suspected to be the proceeds of crime and recklessly or knowingly possessing smuggled goods.
A 46-year-old Shepparton woman was arrested and will be charged pending summons on the same three charges as the others, as well as possessing a drug of dependence.
One more woman is still to be interviewed by police.
Sgt Warden said 22 police were involved in executing the warrants, with the five tobacco-selling businesses all raided simultaneously.
Police allege the tobacco and cigarettes have been coming into Australia illegally, and have been distributed from the Shepparton house.
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