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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Nino Bucci Justice and courts reporter

Australia detains alleged key player in North Korean tobacco smuggling scheme after US request

United States North Korea Tobacco FBI Australia Melbourne
Composite of the North Korean flag, cigarettes in a tobacco factory and the AFP badge
Chinese national Jin Guanghua was arrested by the AFP last March after US authorities accused him of involvement in an alleged tobacco-smuggling conspiracy that generated an estimated A$1.1bn (US$700m) in revenue to North Korea. Composite: Getty images

A Chinese national has been quietly arrested and detained in Australia for 11 months at the request of US authorities investigating an alleged tobacco smuggling conspiracy that generated an estimated A$1.1bn (US$700m) in revenue to North Korea.

Jin Guanghua, 52, was arrested by the Australian federal police in Melbourne last March. Described in US court documents as an Australian resident, Jin was kept in custody in Melbourne for several months before being transferred to immigration detention while awaiting extradition.

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