Retailers have urged the Federal Labor Party to support the Coalition’s national crime policy in response to growing concerns over Australia’s illicit tobacco trade.
The Australian Association of Convenience Stores (AACS) claims more than 3,000 illegal tobacco retailers are operating across the country, openly selling illicit products. The association says the illegal market is now worth more than $7 billion annually and is expanding.
“We are aware of about 3000 of these dodgy stores operating in plain sight across Australia and that’s after countless claims by the Albanese Government that it has a handle on this – when it clearly does not, it is worse than ever,” Theo Foukkare, CEO of AACS, said.
Foukkare called for a stronger national response, including the formation of Australian Federal Police (AFP) taskforces in every state to tackle what he describes as a dangerous black market run by organised crime.
“Local and state governments are trying their best to combat this problem – but the reality is it is a disjointed approach & there just aren’t enough resources available to them to shut this dangerous black market down that is being run by dangerous crime gangs,” he said.
AACS, which represents over 7,000 convenience stores employing more than 75,000 people, is pressing for bipartisan action ahead of the Federal Election on 3 May.
“Health Minister Mark Butler continues to acknowledge that illicit tobacco and vapes are being sold by crime gangs who then use the tax-free profit they make to fund the importation of drugs and even sex trafficking into our vulnerable communities.
“Yet his approach so far has been to leave it to the states, territories and local council workers to try and quash this monster and that is just not working.”
Foukkare said that voters are increasingly concerned about the issue and urged all political candidates to make their stance clear.
“Whomever forms federal government must take urgent enforcement action on this. We are saying to all politicians vying to win seat at the Federal Election to make your policy on this horrendous social issue known now.”
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our government and health departments with ridiculous tax’s on tobacco are fully responsible for the elicit market in tobacco in this country.
time to bite the bullet and back track on this stupidity and predictable situation.
any task force or penalties will not make a difference here and Elicit trade will continue to grow. the Crooks are much smarter than any government here and will always find a way around any law in the elicit tobacco trade… there is too much money at stake.
i use me as a prime example here where i have found it near impossible to purchase regulated vape products in this country. i walked into 4 tobacconists in Sunbury on Monday and asked for nicotine vapes. all 4 stores showed me a book with photos of a great range of illicit vapes and tobacco products. i asked if any of them showed nicotine content and the answer was no in all of them.
i purchase one as i had run out of my Vuse regulated vapes. when i tried to smoke it, after 4 puffs i got a very sore stomach and a head ache. i cannot imagine how much nicotine these possess, but it was so strong it made me ill.
this is what our youth are purchasing and in my opinion they are lethal. i went back and ended up buying a packet of Oscar with 3% nicotine. the sad part here is i have been using regulated vapes for 4 year and not had a cigarette since with NO SIDE EFFECTS from the regulated product. Now im back on the fags thanks to a Nieve government and health department. regulated vapes are not only sold everywhere in Europe and the US, they are encouraged by governments as a better than cigarette alternative. here the elicit vapes are LEATHAL!!!!!!!!!!!! and available everywhere.
please wake up and smell reality here Canberra. legalize regulated vapes in retail outlets and cut taxes by half for tobacco products. otherwise, the illicit trade will double in the next 2 to 3 years…..
this is a commonsense statement.