Tobacco Wars Heat Up: Police Appeal After Suspicious Fire on Central Coast
Tobacco Wars Heat Up: Police Appeal After Suspicious Fire on Central Coast
A suspicious fire at a tobacconist the Central Coast has prompted police to appeal for public assistance, as part of an ongoing investigation into a wave of arson attacks targeting tobacco shops across New South Wales and Victoria.
Around 1:35 am on Friday, 9 August 2024, emergency services were called to a property on Memorial Avenue, Ettalong Beach, after reports of a fire. Officers from the Brisbane Water Police District arrived to find a shop engulfed in flames. Fire & Rescue NSW quickly responded and extinguished the blaze, preventing damage to nearby properties.
This incident follows a break-in at the same location just a day earlier, on Thursday, 8 August 2024, where the front windows of the shop, still under construction, were smashed. Authorities are investigating whether the two incidents are connected.
Police have identified two men seen entering the property with a jerry can before fleeing the scene and are seeking public assistance to locate them.
This attack is part of a disturbing trend in NSW and other parts of Australia. Since March 2023, around 30 tobacco shops have been targeted in arson attacks linked to an underworld conflict between crime syndicates vying for control of the illegal tobacco market. These attacks have caused extensive property damage and raised serious concerns among law enforcement.
Authorities are urging anyone with information about these incidents to contact Crime Stoppers at 1800 333 000.
