Adelaide’s underground tobacco conflict has reignited following a violent attack on the Puff Station store in Hectorville early this morning. The assault occurred around 5:30am when a vehicle pulled up, and three individuals exited. One attacker used a hammer to smash the front window, while the others threw what appeared to be Molotov cocktails, igniting a fire that threatened nearby businesses.
Thanks to the prompt actions of a local entrepreneur named Amir, the flames were contained before firefighters arrived. Amir grabbed a fire extinguisher from his car to control the situation, prompting gratitude from fellow business owner Giacomo Puccio, who acknowledged the potential for greater destruction had it not been for Amir’s intervention.
In response to the attack, crime scene investigators and detectives from Operation Eclipse, the dedicated task force addressing illegal tobacco-related crime, were dispatched to the site to gather evidence and conduct inquiries. This incident marks a troubling escalation in Adelaide’s illegal tobacco trade, following a period of relative calm.