The Queensland government has conducted the largest-ever operation against illicit tobacco and vape retailers in Australia, closing almost 150 stores and seizing more than $15.7 million worth of illegal goods during a 10-day statewide blitz.
“Operation Major” issued closure orders to 148 stores under new legislative powers introduced last month that allows Queensland Health to tackle retailers found to be selling illegal products by immediately shutting them down for 90 days without a court order.
More than 11.8 million cigarettes, 1.7 tonnes of loose tobacco, 87,000 vapes, 4.2 litres of vaping liquid, and 270,000 nicotine pouches were seized, with the combined street value estimated to exceed $15.7 million.
Queensland Health Minister Tim Nicholls inspects some of the illegal goods seized during the 10-day blitz.Credit: Courtney Kruk
A map of operations showed 14 stores across Brisbane’s Metro North and 18 stores across Metro South were targeted, with another 20 on the Gold Coast, 11 on the Sunshine Coast, and 10 in the Darling Downs.
Health Minister Tim Nicholls said targeting retailers was important, but said public health teams were “at the end of the conveyor” and needed support from authorities by locating products at all points of the supply chain.
“We’re attempting to find the sources of [products] by going to the warehouses and seizing the illicit products … thus breaking the trade,” Nicholls said.
Some of the $15.7 million haul of tobacco products.Credit: Courtney Kruk
“We need to stop this product coming into the country in the first place, and we’ve been consistently calling on the Commonwealth government to boost their investment in border force to stop it coming in.
“It’s a difficult challenge for us. Our powers are limited [and] we’re not the police … they have the powers to take that really tough criminal action against the criminal gangs.”
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