Tabacco crackdown

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Three Wyndham residents were among those arrested or charged by police as part of a national operation targeting the Comanchero Outlaw Motorcycle Gang (MCG).

Investigators searched stores in Norlane, Drysdale and Castlemaine on Friday, November 22, resulting in charges being laid against men from Point Cook and Tarneit.

A 43-year-old Point Cook man was charged with two counts of possessing tobacco with the intent to defraud the Commonwealth, supplying vapes and possessing a schedule 4 poison. He was bailed to appear at Geelong Magistrates’ Court on February 5.

A 24-year-old Tarneit man was charged with possessing tobacco and possessing tobacco with the intent to defraud the Commonwealth. He was bailed to appear at Geelong Magistrates’ Court on February 5.

A 44-year-old Truganina man is among three people who are expected to be charged on summons with offences including the possession and sale of illicit tobacco, vapes, possession of proceeds of crime and possession of prohibited weapons following a search of two stores in West Melbourne and one store in Windsor.

Warrants were executed at 12 stores with established links to organised crime syndicates, including OMCGs, across Victoria.

Police said that in Victoria the operation was particularly focused on the link between OMCGs and their connections to the illicit tobacco trade and other forms of associated criminality.