On Thursday 31 March, Snowy Valleys Police Department assisted the ATO with a raid on a farm near Tumbarumba, where they found an illicit tobacco crop covering 7.6 acres in size, worth an estimated $11.3 million in forgone excise.

They also found two kilns containing over 4,000 kilograms of drying tobacco, five bales of tobacco and bags of 'chopchop' were located on the property within a shed, garage and house. Two diesel pumps and a tractor were also seized as part of the operation.

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Earlier in the week the ATO raided another property at Thule in the south western Riverina, where they seized and destroyed four separate illicit tobacco crops totalling over 33 acres.

They also discovered 756 kilograms of tobacco leaves stored on site in hessian bags. The excise forgone at the Thule seizure is estimated at more than $40 million.

Acting Assistant Commissioner Megan Croaker said these raids serve as a warning to anyone dealing in illicit tobacco crops.

"November to May is peak growing season for illicit tobacco crops. We urge the community to look out for unusual farm works, earthworks along creeks or riverbeds and large, leafy plant crops that resemble kale, cabbage or corn," Ms Croaker said.

"Our efforts to dismantle these two growing operations in NSW, follow on from a number of illicit tobacco busts we have conducted in recent weeks."

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