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.”
Minister for Police and Emergency Services Dan Purdie said Operation Major had been supported by a special Queensland police taskforce, which helped public health officers carry out raids.
“The efforts of both agencies have led to a significant disruption in the state’s illegal vape and tobacco black market after the Commonwealth failed to keep pace,” Purdie said.
Tim Nicholls said the government was trying to locate the sources of illegal tobacco products.Credit: Courtney Kruk
The Crisafulli government hired 43 new enforcement officers in June to help shut down rogue traders and seize illegal products.
Nicholls said the “extra boots on the ground” would boost enforcement capacity by more than 25 per cent, leading to “more fines, more raids, and fewer dangerous goods on the street”.
While this has, to an extent, been achieved by the latest operations, the minister admitted on Sunday there had been issues with collecting funds from operators who received fines.
“I don’t think anyone would be surprised that these operators are not paying their fines – they’re criminal operations,” Nicholls said.
“They’re flouting the law, they’re not paying their registration fees, they’re not paying taxes. So SPER [the State Penalties Enforcement Registry] will have a number of opportunities to recover those fines.
“But our main goal is not about money-raising. Our main goal is to stop the sale of these products to kids and minors, and to actually have a public health benefit.”
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