Source : Perth Now news
The NSW Government is ramping up its offensive against the state’s thriving black market for cigarettes, shutting down 15 more premises this week as part of an aggressive compliance blitz.
New data from NSW Health reveals that inspectors have issued 279 short-term (90-day) closure orders since the state’s sweeping new enforcement powers took effect in November last year.
The latest round of closures comes amid mounting scrutiny over how effectively the state is tackling the illicit tobacco crisis.
A recent ranking by the Australian Council on Smoking and Health placed NSW third in the country, noting a significant gap between NSW and top-performing states like Queensland and South Australia.
State authorities have responded by putting more boots on the ground.
NSW Health has already reinspected 46 premises currently or previously subject to the 90-day shutdowns.
However, the data highlights the persistent nature of the trade where nine stores have been hit with two or more consecutive closure orders after being caught operating in open defiance of their initial shutdown notices.
NSW Health Minister Ryan Park warned operators that the state’s patience has run out.
“I say to the bad actors out there, if you do the wrong thing, sooner or later, the inspectors will find you,” Mr Park said.
“I want to thank our health personnel who are undertaking the task of cleaning up our communities of tobacconists who are doing the wrong thing.”
The high-stakes crackdown has already disrupted high-profile businesses. Late last month, NSW Health issued 90-day closure orders to two locations on Redfern St, including the well-known Redfern Convenience Store, famous for its large social media following.
Notices posted on the shopfronts stated the closures were based on a reasonable suspicion of the sale of illicit tobacco.
The illicit trade has become a highly lucrative and increasingly sophisticated industry. In January, police arrested a 30-year-old man at an Oran Park storage facility after uncovering more than $426,000 worth of illicit vapes, nicotine gum, and over 380,000 cigarettes.
Mr Park reiterated that while the Minns Labor Government has introduced some of the toughest penalties in the country to target bad actors, federal tax structures remain a core driver of the problem.
“I have expressed my concern for sometime that so long as the federal government’s tobacco excise continues to create a significant gap between legal and illicit tobacco, it will continue to incentivise a black market,” Mr Park said.
“For our part, the Minns Labor Government has introduced some of the toughest penalties for illegal tobacco in the country. Ramped up penalties, (including) prison sentences of up to seven years, fines of over $1.5 million, implemented a tobacco licensing scheme to better identify bad actors, and now we’re closing down stores that do the wrong thing.”
To further squeeze the market, the state has also targeted the property supply chain, proposing laws that would hit landlords with up to a year in prison or a $165,000 fine if they knowingly allow tenants to sell illegal tobacco products.
Under current laws, enforcement is driven by NSW Health inspectors, who frequently deploy undercover tactics, with operational support from the NSW Police Force.
Authorities are urging the public to continue reporting suspected illicit traders through the NSW Health online portal.
