Current Tobacco Wars

[MPMonkeys]

Five males arrested following series of suspicious arson attacks​

This is a joint media release with Victoria Police and the Australian Federal Police.
Police arrested five males yesterday connected to the Finks Outlaw Motorcycle Gang (OMCG) following a series of arson attacks over the last three weeks.
The joint investigation by the Echo, Lunar and VIPER taskforces and the Australian Federal Police is looking into a particular series of arson attacks, including:

• A tobacco store on Lloyd Street in Moe which was targeted on Monday, 25 December,
• A tobacco store on Main Street in Croydon which was targeted on Monday, 25 December,
• A café on Lobelia Drive in Altona North which was targeted on Tuesday, 9 January, and
• And a tobacco store on Pier Street in Altona targeted two nights in a row on Thursday, 11 January and Friday, 12 January.
• A tobacco store in Sunshine which was targeted on Friday the 12 January

With assistance from the Special Operations Group, a 41-year-old Werribee man, believed to be a patched member of the Finks OMCG, was arrested at a Werribee address. He was charged with seven counts of criminal damage by fire and has been remanded into custody.
Investigators also arrested four other males being.

• A 30-year-old Templestowe man believed to be a patched member of the Finks OMCG, arrested at Templestowe and charged with two counts of criminal Damage by fire (Arson) and remanded into custody.
• A 32-year-old Albion man believed to be a patched member of the Finks OMCG, arrested at Albion and charged with six counts of criminal damage by fire (Arson) and one count of aggravated carjacking and remanded into custody.
• A 37-year-old Point Cook man arrested at Point Cook and charged with five counts of criminal damage by fire (Arson) and remanded into custody.
• A 17-year-old from Yarraville was arrested at Yarraville and interviewed for the offences of aggravated carjacking and two counts of criminal damage by fire (Arson) and released pending further enquiries.

In all six of the incident’s offenders have forced entry to each of the premises, before setting the properties alight.
Taskforce Lunar currently has 28 active arson investigations, which include tobacco stores, vehicles, gyms, restaurants and private addresses.
Since October, the VIPER Taskforce has executed almost 70 warrants at tobacco stores across the state believed to be involved in the sale of illicit tobacco, resulting in the seizure of the following:

• 108,722 e cigarettes (vapes) with a street valuation of $3.2M;
• 3,205,298 cigarettes with duty excise evaded totalling $3.9M;
• Over one of tonne loose-leaf tobacco with duty excise totalling evaded $1.9M;
• At least 2 kg of cannabis;
• At least 1kg of cocaine;
• Almost $100K proceeds of crime;
• Multiple weapons including ASP Batons and swords; and
• Industrial tobacco manufacturing equipment.

Five males arrested following series of suspicious arson attacks | Australian Federal Police

Police arrested five males yesterday connected to the Finks Outlaw Motorcycle Gang (OMCG) following a series of arson attacks over the last three weeks.

www.afp.gov.au

More information here. About time some arrests were made.

Tobacco war: Five arrested over festive season firebombings

A police detective said the arrests hurt an unnamed criminal syndicate driving recent firebombings and claim police were “seeming to turn the corner” in combating the violence.

www.theage.com.au

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Podcast worth listening to...

The surge of violence in Victoria's illicit tobacco markets.

 

[Kurve]

Victoria Police yesterday said the current situation appeared to be the result of "criminal syndicates in conflict due to competition for profit derived from the illicit tobacco market".

Government launches illegal tobacco crackdown, as bikie 'turf war' on tobacco shops rages on

As another tobacco shop burns in Melbourne, the federal government announces a $188 million crackdown on the tobacco black market, hoping to stop imports before they reach the Australian border.

www.abc.net.au

 

[jwikked]

I know a smoke shop that got raided, literally the next day they had the (manchesters) smokes and vapes on the counter. The next day.

Do the cops not care?

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Why don't the Victorian government just change the tobacco laws to be similar to most other states... as it's their lax laws that have created this mess?

 

[Shell]

So long as people smoke where I don't have to inhale their crap, go for it.

1997 v Iran WC Qualifier L4 of the GSS. Smoker to the left of me.. right of me.. (sounds like a song lol) And in front of me.

Is staggering now to think that was allowed

 

[Kurve]

Arson squad to investigate after Ballarat tobacco shop gutted

Police are treating it as suspicious.

www.thecourier.com.au

 

[Puddy]

The government's increase in tobacco tax has created this problem.

Decreasing the tax to its previous level should be seriously considered

 

[Kurve]

It's out of control.

 

[jason_recliner]

Decreasing the tax to its previous level should be seriously considered

Quitting smoking should be seriously considered

 

[Kurve]

The laws coming in 1 March where the government will ban all vape devices including the refillable pods that use vegetable glycerine, not single use, will be a disaster imo. And a real slap in the face given cigarettes containing thousands more toxic chemicals, will still be for sale.

They're sending reputable vape stores who don't sell single use vapes or nicotine to the wall, while stealing their business model and pushing people in to their GP to get a prescription, then off to the chemist.

Smoking rates will go up again and we're going to continue to see tobacco shops going up in flames.

 

[jason_recliner]

The laws coming in 1 March where the government will ban all vape devices including the refillable pods that use vegetable glycerine, not single use, will be a disaster imo. And a real slap in the face given cigarettes containing thousands more toxic chemicals, will still be for sale.

They're sending reputable vape stores who don't sell single use vapes or nicotine to the wall, while stealing their business model and pushing people in to their GP to get a prescription, then off to the chemist.

Smoking rates will go up again and we're going to continue to see tobacco shops going up in flames.

The difference is that cigarettes are an established part of our society and culture. That's not a reason to encourage new ways of consuming poison. We should be, and are, heading towards less consumption of poison. That means regulating it for those who can't regulate themselves.

IDGAF about some tobacco stores!

 

[rank and file]

1997 v Iran WC Qualifier L4 of the GSS. Smoker to the left of me.. right of me.. (sounds like a song lol) And in front of me.

Is staggering now to think that was allowed

Doesn't get much cooler than cameraman Tony

 

[jason_recliner]

Doesn't get much cooler than cameraman Tony

I had no idea smoking makes people that cool. I take it all back!!!

 

[Kurve]

The difference is that cigarettes are an established part of our society and culture. That's not a reason to encourage new ways of consuming poison. We should be, and are, heading towards less consumption of poison. That means regulating it for those who can't regulate themselves.

IDGAF about some tobacco stores!

1.7 million adults vape so I'd suggest it's an established part of our society. Most grown ups don't buy single use vapes the kids are getting hold of, they use refillable metal vapes with a glass bowl filled with vegetable glycerine. Even without nicotine, that many don't use, that's still thousands and thousands less toxic chemicals than in a cigarette.

 

[jason_recliner]

1.7 million adults vape so I'd suggest it's an established part of our society. Most grown ups don't buy single use vapes the kids are getting hold of, they use refillable metal vapes with a glass bowl filled with vegetable glycerine. Even without nicotine, that many don't use, that's still thousands and thousands less toxic chemicals than in a cigarette.

I'm not going to waste my time arguing about whether vaping is or isn't harmful! It's only been around for a few years, it can be massively reduced if not completely wiped out.

 

[Sqotty from office works]

I'm not going to waste my time arguing about whether vaping is or isn't harmful! It's only been around for a few years, it can be massively reduced if not completely wiped out.

If it is dangerous it will thin out the population which is something desperately needed worldwide.
Covid was meant to do it but failed

 

[Kurve]

I'm not going to waste my time arguing about whether vaping is or isn't harmful! It's only been around for a few years, it can be massively reduced if not completely wiped out.

If it's not harmful, what's the problem? How is it even any of your business? Doctors are actually telling smokers to go to the vape store to get off the smokes, now real vapes are being banned, smokes aren't. It doesn't make any sense.

 

[jason_recliner]

If it's not harmful, what's the problem? How is it even any of your business? Doctors are actually telling smokers to go to the vape store to get off the smokes, now real vapes are being banned, smokes aren't. It doesn't make any sense.

But it IS harmful. Why would you want to start another health crisis like smoking? It's a new fad, it's not established, it can be stamped out now. If people are stupid enough to start vaping, they evidently need a government to stop them (no offence to any vapers!). Smoking is different, it's old, smokers are dying out, they aren't being replaced, smoking will literally kill itself (and smokers) in a few more generations.

 

[Kurve]

But it IS harmful. Why would you want to start another health crisis like smoking? It's a new fad, it's not established, it can be stamped out now. If people are stupid enough to start vaping, they evidently need a government to stop them (no offence to any vapers!). Smoking is different, it's old, smokers are dying out, they aren't being replaced, smoking will literally kill itself (and smokers) in a few more generations.

It's nowhere near like smoking. Nothing like it. It's the tar in the cigarettes that do all the damage, not the nicotine which is only similar to a coffee hit. Vaping is very clean.

The government will push people back to smoking if they stupidly imo, go through with banning vape devices.

They should be following the NZ and UK model. There are vape stores in UK hospitals.

 

[Kurve]

But it IS harmful. Why would you want to start another health crisis like smoking?

You don't know what you're talking about.

 

[jason_recliner]

Let Me Google That

 

[rank and file]

This book is worth a read

 

[jason_recliner]

You don't know what you're talking about.

Maybe, it's hardly my area of expertise, but maybe the thousands of doctors, nurses, hospitals, medical associations, etc etc do. How many centuries has it taken to deal with the smoking crisis, and there's probably another century to go. Why would anybody think it's a good idea to allow vaping, other than to further subjugate and exploit the poor and unintelligent?

 

[geoffjennings79]

Multiple Ballarat tobacco stores targeted in recent days, the one that was fire-bombed also damaged adjoining stores either side.

If you're a retailer, and a tobacco shop moves in next door, re-locate.

Quickly.