Australia’s criminal underworld has undergone its biggest transformation in decades with organised crime groups now abandoning illicit tobacco in favour of the nation’s most lucrative black-market opportunity – designing websites for the Bureau of Meteorology.

News of the $96 million price tag for BOM’s new website has spread quickly and many crime gangs have pivoted to the lucrative new industry.

“We used to risk our lives firebombing smoke shops. Now we get paid triple what we used to to make a button that says ‘Radar’. It’s crazy money, bro,” said one former gang boss, now Head of Digital Transformation, speaking from his new ergonomic office chair.

Police say the shift has dramatically changed the nature of organised crime. “Instead of intercepting shipping containers, we’re executing search warrants on co-working hubs,” an AFP spokesperson said. “Yesterday we seized three MacBooks, a ring-light and a guy called ‘Mad-Dog” who was debugging the seven-day forecast”.

Authorities have warned that crime groups may have already infiltrated major contracts, with rumours that an underworld syndicate was responsible for the BOM’s latest $96 million upgrade, which involved adding a slightly larger cloud icon to the old website.

Meanwhile, traditional smugglers have been left scrambling to adapt. “We tried going legit,” one frustrated tobacco importer explained. “But apparently the market’s already saturated with ex-mobsters who know how to centre a logo.”