A BULKER behaving “suspiciously” off the Australian coast has been serving as a storage platform for illegal cigarettes, authorities revealed today (12 February).
The Tanzanian-flagged Kokoo (IMO: 9114074) was calling Noumea on 5 February when local customs officers seized nearly 76 tonnes of contraband cigarettes from five containers in the hold.
It was the largest seizure of tobacco ever made by French customs in New Caledonia.
The operation also focused on two powerful speedboats and a tank of 10,000 litres of fuel to supply the boats, which has led authorities to identify the bulker as a mother ship of sorts.
A joint statement from French customs and Australian Border Force, translated from French, said the 75-metre LOA vessel, on its way from Taiwan, arrived in Noumea after “a long journey along the Australian coast”.
They said investigations into the cigarette brands indicate the goods were destined for the Australian market.
ABF Assistant Commissioner Customs Compliance, Enforcement & Targeting Tony Smith said border force first became aware of the vessel when it was “acting suspiciously” as it approached the east coast of Australia.
“The ABF undertook extensive surveillance of the vessel while building an appreciation to assess its potential risk to the Australian border,” he said
“The commercial ship later changed course toward New Caledonia, upon which the ABF engaged with authorities to alert them to a potential risk.”
On 7 February the captain of the ship appeared in the Noumea Criminal Court which sentenced him to 10 months of suspended imprisonment, a customs fine amounting to the equivalent of about €350,000.
Investigations are to continue in Australia.
