Illicit Tobacco and Vape Crackdown: 1.7 Million Cigarettes Seized in WA and NT

A massive joint operation between law enforcement agencies in Western Australia and the Northern Territory has resulted in the seizure of over 1.7 million illicit cigarettes and thousands of vapes. The raids, which took place across 66 locations, also uncovered 504 kilograms of loose-leaf tobacco and 6,310 oral nicotine pouches.

Significant Seizures Made

The operation, which involved multiple federal, state, and territory agencies, targeted suspected illicit tobacco and vape distribution channels. Authorities say the haul, which includes over 9,500 vapes, would have had a street value of more than $814,000 and represented almost $4 million in foregone taxes.

In the NT alone, inspectors found more than 300,000 cigarettes, 306 kg of loose-leaf tobacco, over 1,560 vapes, and almost 3,000 oral nicotine pouches at 13 locations across Darwin and Katherine. The sites included two car yards, a petrol station, eight shops, a postal depot, and a residential property.

Businesses Targeted

WA Health officials searched 45 retail shops, while officers raided four storage facilities, two postal depots, a home, and a shipping container stored on a rural property. They seized more than 1.46 million cigarettes, 197 kg of loose-leaf tobacco, and 7,900 vapes, along with 1,000 cigars, 3,360 oral nicotine pouches, and 4 kg of MDMA.

WA Department of Health, Director of Tobacco and Vape Regulation Shane Giblett said the operations would continue and public information had been vital in targeting the stores.

"We want to make one thing clear, if you're buying illicit tobacco or illicit vapes, you're putting money in the hands of likely organised crime," he said.

"These organised crime individuals have no qualms selling to children."

Intelligence Gathering

Inspector David Williamson said the multi-agency operations were about more than just seizures, with intelligence gathered helping them to identify mid-level criminals.

"The task for us when we gather information from operations like this and from information sharing with our partners, is to be dynamic enough to move with organised crime, [so] they've got nothing else to focus on other than trying to avoid enforcement and compliance," he said.

Inspector Williamson also expressed concern that businesses like barber shops and car yards have also been involved.

"There is no narrow focus for us which means that we all need to be more flexible and dynamic, to be able to address wherever the trade appears, wherever it turns up," he said.

Ongoing Efforts

NT Health Chief Pharmacist Samuel Keitaanpaa said the latest raids would not be the end of authorities cracking down on the Territory's black market.

"There will be ongoing enforcement and compliance activities, and we strongly suggest people who are supplying illegal goods to Territorians to think of alternative business models," he said.

University of Sydney public health professor Becky Freeman said it was encouraging to see the searches had involved a multi-disciplinary approach rather than different agencies "finger-pointing".

"I think it's been crystal clear that retailers in particular have felt emboldened to just sell these illicit products in broad daylight," she said.

"If the enforcement isn't there, then there's absolutely no way we're going to see a reduction in illicit tobacco use."