Four stores in the Perth metropolitan have been ordered to close after strict new laws aimed at snuffing out illegal tobacco and vapes came into effect on May 13.
The new forced closures come after Kalgoorlie barbershop Kali Kings became the first to be hit with the order after it was raided on the same day the law came into effect.
Fremantle MLA Simone McGurk posted to social media on Monday that the state’s “tough new illicit tobacco laws have shut down two Freo vape shops”.
The stores McGurk referenced were Fremantle Convenience Store and Hi on Discounts.
It is understood one of the Fremantle stores had bongs openly for sale among other everyday items.
Hamilton Hill Mart and Northbridge’s Super Ezy Convenience were also given 90-day closure notices on May 18, bringing the state’s store closure total to 10 stores.
Fremantle Mayor Ben Lawver – a long-time advocate for stricter control measures around the illegal sale of tobacco – shared photos of the closed venues to his social media.
In April, Lawver told this masthead the City of Fremantle was taking extra measures to prevent more convenience stores popping up in the CBD in a bid to curb the illegal tobacco frenzy.
At the time of publishing, there were 18 convenience stores spread out throughout the centre of Fremantle.
New state legislation has made it an offence for stores to sell, supply or possess illicit tobacco or vaping products.
It has also given WA Police and the Department of Health the authority to shut down premises involved in illegal trade, and bumped up the penalties for those caught breaking the law.
Currently, the maximum penalty for possession of a large commercial quantity of illicit tobacco and vaping products is $4.2 million for an individual or $21 million for a company, and 15 years imprisonment.
Police allege the raid on the Kalgoorlie barbershop resulted in the seizure of nearly 2000 illegal cigarettes and about three kilograms of loose tobacco.
Five further stores across WA were also closed on the same day as Kali Kings including Bunbury store Yankee Candy and five from the metropolitan area.
The raids have been conducted by WA Health’s Tobacco Compliance Unit, in partnership with WA Police. In total, it has resulted in the seizure of nearly 142,000 illegal cigarettes, 5.2 kilograms of loose tobacco and more than 600 vapes.
WA Health Minister Meredith Hammat said the number of vapes and cigarettes seized in first three days of the laws being enforced was telling about the scale of WA’s illicit trade.
“WA Health’s Tobacco Compliance Unit is wasting no time using these tough new laws to keep our community safe,” she said.
“The results from the first 72 hours of these laws being in effect should serve as a serious warning to those dodgy operators still engaging in this dangerous trade.
“Closure orders are a game-changer in our fight against illegal tobacco, and our state and federal agencies will continue to work together to get it off our streets.”
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Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: www.smh.com.au
