Darwin man charged with money laundering from illicit tobacco sales
Police have arrested and charged a 33-year-old Darwin man for allegedly laundering millions of dollars through an illegal tobacco business, following a four-month investigation by Northern Territory Police alongside Australian Border Force.
A 33-year-old man from Darwin has been charged with money laundering in connection with a four-month investigation into the sale of illicit tobacco, according to Northern Territory Police. Detective Senior Sergeant Corey Borton confirmed that Ali Waqar, who operated a local convenience store, is the alleged kingpin of the operation.
Waqar, along with a 37-year-old man from Palmerston, was arrested following the investigation which involved 11 warrants executed across two businesses, a commercial storage facility and two residential properties. Over 5,500 vapes, 16,500 nicotine products, and $73,600 in cash were seized during the operation. The businesses involved reportedly generated approximately $12.1 million in sales over the past two years, with $9.36 million of that coming from illicit tobacco and vaping products.
Police have stated that they will continue pursuing any financial gains made through criminal activity.
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