WA seizes 140,000 illegal cigarettes, closes six stores under new laws
En resumen
- Western Australia has seized over 140,000 illegal cigarettes and 613 vapes, ordering six stores to close for up to 90 days under new tobacco laws.
- The laws, effective Wednesday, aim to disrupt the illicit trade and have been praised by the WA Health Minister as 'toughest in the country'.
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Por qué importa
Western Australia has implemented new tobacco laws that grant authorities the power to close stores allegedly involved in selling illicit tobacco and vapes for up to 90 days, alongside increased penalties for offenders. These laws came into effect on Wednesday.
More than 140,000 illegal cigarettes have been seized and six stores ordered to close down, days after Western Australia's new tobacco laws came into force.
The laws came into effect on Wednesday giving authorities the power to close stores allegedly caught selling illicit tobacco and vapes for up to 90 days and place higher penalties on offenders.
The six stores include four in the Perth metro area and two in regional WA, with details made public on the health department website.
The total haul from all six stores included 5.2 kilograms of loose-leaf tobacco, about 141,000 cigarettes and 613 vapes.
'Toughest laws in the country': minister
WA Health Minister Meredith Hammat said the closures were proof the WA laws were effective in disrupting the illicit tobacco trade across the state.
"These results are just in the first 72 hours of our new legislation being in effect," Ms Hammat said.
"We've introduced some of the toughest laws in the country, and now we're getting on with the job of making sure we stamp out the illicit tobacco trade."
The first closure order was issued after a police raid on a Kalgoorlie-Boulder barber shop on Wednesday, resulting in almost 2,000 illegal cigarettes and around three kilograms of loose tobacco seized.
On Friday, police executed a search warrant in Bunbury, resulting in another closure order, and a further four were issued in Perth, following targeted inspections by WA Health in and around the CBD.
Further legislation to be introduced
Ms Hammat confirmed the second part of the legislation would be introduced later this year to further crack down on the illicit tobacco trade.
Chief executive of the Australian Council of Smoking and Health Laura Hunter said it could not come soon enough, with WA lagging behind other states such as Queensland and South Australia.
"It is great to see so much compliance action, this is really good progress," Ms Hunter said.
"But we need to see a timeline for when these [new laws] are going to happen.
"In other states, we have landlord termination powers and penalties for landlords that turn a blind eye."
Ms Hunter flagged Fremantle as an area that law enforcement should be 'very, very busy' in.
Investigations continue
Investigations into the six stores are ongoing, with further charges yet to be laid.
WA Police Minister Reece Whitby issued a warning to any other shops who trade in illicit cigarettes and vapes.
"If you keep trading illicit tobacco and illicit vapes, you will be caught and you will be dealt with.
"From my point of view, it is important that they are closed down because of the links with organised crime."
Qué observar
Perspectiva de IA — posibilidades, no hechos
Further enforcement actions and store closures will occur under the new legislation.
Muy probable · En semanas
The second part of the legislation, including landlord termination powers and penalties for landlords, will be introduced later this year.
Probable · En meses
Preguntas abiertas
- What are the specific penalties for the stores and individuals involved?
- Will there be further raids and closures in other regions?
- What is the timeline for the introduction of the second part of the legislation?
- What are the specific links between the seized tobacco and organised crime?