21/08/2023
Minister for Health, Mental Health and Ambulance Services and Minister for Women
The Honourable Shannon Fentiman
- Queensland Health & the Australian Border Force’s Illicit Tobacco Taskforce seize more than $2 million worth of illegal products, including 54,000 vapes.
- Eleven sites were raided across Queensland.
- Raids occurred under the Palaszczuk Government’s powerful new illicit tobacco laws, which grant greater enforcement powers.
More than $2 million worth of illegal tobacco products have been seized in a series of coordinated raids, following the Palaszczuk Government’s tough new laws passed in May.
In a clear warning to those possessing and selling illegal tobacco products, Queensland Health led a strike on 10 retail outlets on Tuesday morning in Emerald, Mackay, Townsville, Yeppoon, Ayr and Rockhampton.
These raids coincided with an Australian Border Force-led Illicit Tobacco Taskforce operation on the Gold Coast, which Queensland Health assisted with.
Together, these raids led to the seizure of more than $2 million worth of items, including 54,000 vapes.
Preliminary counting shows that the Queensland Health-led retail raids were responsible for seizing:
- Over 7,300 vapes
- 343kg of illicit tobacco
- Hundreds of other illegal products, including drug utensils
Full story here.