Victoria’s illicit tobacco crackdown came too late, premier admits
Victoria’s crackdown on illegal tobacco came too late and should have started earlier, Premier Ben Carroll has admitted, as authorities continue to close businesses accused of selling illicit tobacco. Since 9 September, police and tobacco inspectors have had new powers to close businesses selling illegal tobacco for up to 90 days. Longer closures can be sought through the courts. At least 51 closure notices have been issued since the new powers came into effect, according to the Victorian Government.
The number of Tobacco Licensing Victoria inspectors has also increased from 14 to 42, although most are based in Melbourne.
“We should have acted on this sooner,” Mr Carroll said.
The comments came after criticism from Rohan Pike, who founded the Australian Border Force’s tobacco strike team. “Our government simply hasn’t cared about this problem for many years,” Mr Pike said. He described the current enforcement approach as a “whack-a-mole process” and said Victoria Police had been calling for stronger closure powers for years.
The illegal tobacco trade has been linked to serious organised crime, including multiple murders and hundreds of arson attacks, according to reporting by the ABC. On 28 September, a grocery business on Ballarat Road in Deer Park was damaged by fire. Police have not identified a motive and have not linked the fire to the illicit tobacco trade. The Victorian Government has published details of businesses subject to closure orders through Tobacco Licensing Victoria.
The crackdown follows similar action in Queensland. Federal Assistant Minister for Customs Julian Hill said legal cigarette sales in Queensland had increased by 55 per cent following the state’s crackdown on the black market. Closure notices are enforcement measures and do not mean the businesses have been convicted of an offence.
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