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Corrupt officials on Sydney's waterfront have helped facilitate the smuggling of millions of illegal cigarettes, tonnes of tobacco as well as a commercial quantity of cocaine, Australian authorities said on Wednesday.
Thirteen Australians, 12 men and one woman, have been arrested and charged following a 13-month joint investigation by both state and federal authorities that culminated in raids across Sydney on Tuesday.
Authorities say this includes facilitating the passage of 9 million cigarettes from the United Arab Emirates that arrived at Port Botany in September, which were subsequently seized.
Detective Superintendent Nick Bingham - the investigation's commander - said in a statement on Wednesday that the importance of the multi agency's capacity to work with authorities in the United Arab Emirates and the shipping industry cannot be understated.
It is alleged that a number of employees from customs brokerage companies and freight forwarding firms were paid tens of thousands of Australian dollars to create false declarations and shipping documents to enable the importation.
Authorities also allege that the syndicate avoided more than 9. 1 million Australian dollars (6.4 million U.S. dollars) in customs duties in respect of 10 million cigarettes and 5.6 tonnes of tobacco for distribution throughout Sydney.
A number of those in the syndicate are also involved in the supply of cocaine, police allege, after seizing about 270 grams of the drug - street value 184,000 Australian dollars (129,000 U.S. dollars) - during the raids.
The offenders face penalties including up to 10 years' imprisonment for the smuggling and fraud offences through to a maximum sentence of life imprisonment for the more serious drug offences.
