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Massive Tobacco Bust in North Island | Auckland News
Customs and police pulled off a massive six-month sting called Operation Clarify, seizing over 1.3 million illegal cigarettes and $170,000 in cash across 21 locations in Rotorua, Waikato, and Auckland — representing more than $2 million in dodged taxes. Five people are now facing charges for trafficking uncustomed tobacco, with evidence they were planning to scale up operations by recruiting more retailers. This isn’t the first time — a March bust already revealed a container full of contraband tobacco from China. The crackdown underscores the high stakes of illegal tobacco trade, where…
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