Police restrain nine properties worth $5.7m in Christchurch black market tobacco case

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Police restrain nine properties worth $5.7m in Christchurch black market tobacco case

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/528004/police-restrain-nine-properties-worth-5-point-7m-in-christchurch-black-market-tobacco-case

It's alleged the properties are linked to an attempt to evade over $850,000 in tobacco taxes.

Police restrain nine properties worth $5.7m in Christchurch black market tobacco case

I think I posted the story about the original break in, but what an operation. It sounds like they were importing the tobacco in bulk, then manufacturing the cigarettes, as well as forging the packaging.

For those reading this that aren't in NZ, cigarettes are very expensive here, over $2 a cigarette for some brands, and it's mostly tax.