A magistrate has freed the alleged head of an extensive illegal tobacco and vape syndicate on bail despite acknowledging there will be a “significant risk” to public safety while he remains in the community. Police expressed fears that Nazir Haddara, 25, may order firebomb attacks on rival shops and potentially flee the country. Haddara was one of eight people charged with Commonwealth offences for their part in directing and assisting an organised crime syndicate after Victoria Police—assisted by the Australian Federal Police (AFP), the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), and the Australian Border Force’s (ABF) Illicit Tobacco Taskforce—raided 27 properties across Victoria on Oct.
23. Authorities seized 600,000 tobacco sticks, other tobacco products, vapes, and other assets alleged to be the proceeds of crime, including luxury cars. Victorian law confines the sale of vapes to Australian pharmacies, banning them from retailers like tobacconists and convenience stores.
The risks posed by Haddara, whom police labelled as a “director” and “principal offender” for his part in the alleged $30 million illegal tobacco empire, could be managed with strict bail conditions, Magistrate Michelle Hodgson ruled. Haddara’s role reportedly involved overseeing the syndicate’s finances, managing cigarette stock levels, and selling vapes. Police wanted to keep the boxer in custody until his trial for allegedly running an illegal business and dealing with the proceeds of a cr.
