Eight Chinese tourists smuggled into Australia with large quantities of illegal cigarettes will be repatriated (Photo No. 7)
Eight Chinese citizen brought large quantities of illegal tobacco into Australia, were stopped at Melbourne airport and will be deported.
On Monday, eight Chinese citizen arrived in Melbourne by plane from Hong Kong, and 177063 cigarettes were found in their luggage, with tax evasion worth more than A $160000, according to Channel 7.
Australian Border Service (Australian Border Force) staff cancelled visas for the eight visitors and handed them over to Melbourne-based immigration transitional resettlement centre (Melbourne Immigration Transit Accommodation), for deportation.
Palmer (Craig Palmer), the regional commander of the Australian Border Service, said there might be no harm in bringing undeclared cigarettes into Australia, but the improper trade has caused huge losses to Australia`s economic.
"if someone brings cigarettes or other tobacco products into Australia, the requirement is simple: declare and pay tariffs," Palmer said. If found deliberately evading customs duties, they face fines, deportations, and even prosecute. "
Palmer said the Australian Border Service is fully equipped to detect illegal tobacco through intelligence, X-ray scans, tobacco detection dogs and highly skilled police officers.
Since July, it is illegal for anyone to import tobacco without a license.
