Police uncover illegal tobacco farm in southern NSW worth over $11m.

TOBACCO plants worth more than $11 million have been seized in a massive bust in the state’s south.

 

The Australian Taxation Office and police raided a tobacco farm in Callemondah Rd, Shannons Flat, discovering 92,000 tobacco plants, more than two tonnes of tobacco leaves, $15,000 in cash, a shot gun and ammunition.

 

The estimated value of the excise avoided on the tobacco seizure about 40km northwest of Cooma is more than $11.77 million.

 

Monaro Police and ATO officers raided the property at 9.30am yesterday.

 

No arrests have been made but police said the investigation into this “significant seizure” continues.

 

The raid follows a tobacco seizure earlier this week in Victoria, where more than 15 acres of tobacco plants were seized at a property in Macorna, near Kerang.