<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Authorities have seized a 16-tonne illicit tobacco crop in regional Victoria after a tip-off from the community.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Australian Taxation Office, Victoria Police and the Australian Border Force carried out two search warrants on Tuesday, March 6, at a property in Merrigum, Victoria.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>They discovered two illicit tobacco crops covering more than 13 acres.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-trade-war-eu-retaliates-against-us-trade-moves-and-hits-beef-whiskey-motorcycles-with-targeted-tariffs/4aa62117-1875-41f4-988f-e7024c32de81" target="_blank"><strong><span>Canada and EU retaliate against Trump, hitting beef, whiskey, motorcycles</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The excise value of the crop was estimated at nearly $35 million.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The crop was seized and destroyed.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"These seizures – and their potential value of almost $35 million in avoided excise – are significant, and their impact will undoubtedly be felt by the organised crime groups operating in this state," Victoria Police Detective Acting Superintendent Craig Darlow said.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/police-seize-16-tonne-illegal-tobacco-crop-victoria/96ac176f-dfbf-49d0-8f77-5e8c83c74e22" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>ATO Assistant Commissioner Jade Hawkins praised the actions of the tipster who initially contacted Victoria Police, who in turn informed the ATO.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/russia-ukraine-ceasefire-plan-more-details-needed-says-vladimir-putin/9bf4bbba-1be7-414c-9c3a-0bce2120561e" target="_blank"><strong><span>Ukraine calls Putin's bluff, so how will he react?</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Community tip-offs are one of our best sources of information as they provide us and our partner agencies with crucial information to assist in the fight against illicit tobacco.," she said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>ABF Acting Commander Tori Rosemond said it was estimated organised crime groups controlled 75 per cent of the illicit tobacco market in Australia.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We are detecting and seizing massive quantities of illicit tobacco on a daily basis at the border, but this alone cannot stem the supply, which is why we work side-by-side our partners to stamp out these home-grown illicit operations," Rosemond said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Anybody who suspects illicit tobacco is being grown, manufactured, or sold in their community can report it to ATO confidentially on 1800 060 062, or </span><a href="https://www.ato.gov.au/about-ato/tax-avoidance/the-fight-against-tax-crime/what-you-can-do/making-a-tip-off?=redirected_tipoff" rel="" target="_blank" title="online"><span>online</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple App Store</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>.</span></em></strong></div></div>