The attempted kidnapping of a British American Tobacco (BAT) executive in June may be part of an ongoing struggle between illicit cigarette syndicates and law enforcement authorities, the Sydney Morning Herald said.

BAT support of police inquiries appears to have prompted the attack on 4 June at the Sydney home of the unidentified manager, the newspaper said. The BAT executive required hospitalization after warding off at least three attackers who demanded he get into a car, the Herald said.