SA Cracks Down on Illegal Tobacco Shops
Crackdown on Illegal Tobacco Shops Begins: Five Stores Shut down in First Week
Adelaide, South Australia – The Malinauskas Labor Government is taking a hard line against the illicit tobacco trade, shutting down five unlicensed stores in the first week since new powers came into effect.Minister for consumer and Business Affairs Andrea Michaels ordered the closures after evidence of recent illegal activity at the premises.The stores, located in Hindmarsh, Dernancourt, Salisbury North, Blair Athol, and Campbelltown, were found to be selling thousands of illicit cigarettes, cigarette tubes, and tobacco.
One Hindmarsh store, the subject of multiple raids, had nearly 10,000 illicit cigarettes, 2,000 cigarette tubes, and half a kilo of tobacco seized in the moast recent operation by Consumer and Business Services (CBS).
The minister’s closure orders are in place for 72 hours, with the option to apply to the Magistrates court for a longer closure of up to six months. Businesses violating these orders face hefty penalties, with fines reaching up to $1.1 million for the business and $700,000 for individuals.
“The Malinauskas Government is taking the threat posed by the illicit tobacco industry extremely seriously,” said Minister Michaels. ”As warned, we have now closed down multiple businesses after they were caught with illegal tobacco and vapes.We are not going to allow these illegal shops to operate in our community.”
The government’s new powers, which came into effect on December 13th, allow the Minister to shut down any business suspected of selling or supplying illicit tobacco and vapes. This crackdown is part of a broader effort to combat the illicit tobacco market, estimated to be controlled by organized crime in 75% of cases in Australia.
Since July 1st, the State Government has invested $16 million in a dedicated taskforce within CBS to tackle this illicit trade. CBS has been working closely with SAPOL’s Operation Eclipse, Border Force, and the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) to remove these illicit products from South Australian streets.
“We know that it is increasingly organized crime behind these illegal tobacco shops, and we are going to continue to raid these businesses, get these products off the streets, and shut these stores down,” Minister Michaels added.
The government has also significantly increased penalties for selling illicit tobacco and vapes, with fines now reaching up to $1.5 million.
The Malinauskas Government encourages the public to report any suspected illegal tobacco or vape dealers through the CBS website: www.cbs.sa.gov.au/tobacco.
NewsDirectory3 Exclusive Interview: Cracking Down on Illegal Tobacco
Adelaide, SA: NewsDirectory3 sat down with Consumer and Business Affairs Minister Andrea Michaels to discuss the recent crackdown on illegal tobacco shops in South Australia.
NewsDirectory3: Minister Michaels,five stores have been shut down in the first week as the new powers came into affect. Can you elaborate on the impact of this crackdown?
Minister Michaels: The Malinauskas Government is taking a zero-tolerance approach to the illicit tobacco trade. These closures send a strong message that we will not allow these illegal businesses to operate in our community. We are committed to protecting consumers and disrupting organized crime networks profiting from this black market.
NewsDirectory3: What led to the closure of these particular stores?
Minister Michaels: These stores were found selling thousands of illicit cigarettes,cigarette tubes,and tobacco. One Hindmarsh store alone had nearly 10,000 illicit cigarettes, 2,000 cigarette tubes, and half a kilo of tobacco seized.
NewsDirectory3: What are the consequences for businesses caught selling illicit tobacco?
Minister Michaels: The consequences are severe. Closure orders can be issued for up to six months, with fines reaching up to $1.1 million for the business and $700,000 for individuals.
NewsDirectory3: How widespread is the problem of illicit tobacco in south Australia?
Minister Michaels: The illicit tobacco market is a serious issue,estimated to be controlled by organized crime in 75% of cases nationally.
NewsDirectory3: What measures are being taken to address this broader issue?
Minister Michaels: The State government has invested $16 million in a dedicated taskforce within Consumer and Business Services to tackle this problem. We are working closely with SAPOL’s Operation Eclipse, Border Force, and the Therapeutic goods Governance to disrupt supply chains and remove these illicit products from our streets.
NewsDirectory3: How can the public help?
Minister Michaels: The public can play a crucial role. We encourage anyone with details about suspected illegal tobacco or vape dealers to report it through the CBS website at www.cbs.sa.gov.au/tobacco.