Name: Record $11 million black-market cigarettes bust leads to funding calls
Uploaded: 2025-12-07T06:36:42.620Z
Duration: 1 min 50 s
Description: There are calls to boost funding for Border Force to help halt the illegal tobacco trade. Police have seized more than $11 million worth of black‑market cigarettes in the nation’s largest‑ever bust.

There are calls to boost funding for Border Force to help halt the illegal tobacco trade. Police have seized more than $11 million worth of black‑market cigarettes in the nation’s largest‑ever bust.

Brisbane

Queensland health authorities have conducted a major crackdown on illegal tobacco, seizing more than $15.7 million worth of tobacco, vapes, and cigarettes, much of it illegally imported from overseas. The operation resulted in the closure of 148 stores in just 10 days, with officials noting that many of these businesses are linked to organised criminal networks and operate under the guise of legitimate storefronts.

Officials emphasized that Queensland's enforcement efforts far exceed those of other states with similar laws, such as New South Wales and South Australia. They are now calling on the Commonwealth Government to increase investment in Border Force to prevent illegal tobacco from entering the country, citing the ongoing challenge of cross-border smuggling.

Record $11 million black-market cigarettes bust leads to funding calls

A confession in a Queensland health bunker. I can confess to you, I am a reformed smoker. Who now presides over the proceeds of Australia's largest illegal tobacco haul. We have seized over $15.7 million of street value tobacco, vapes and chop-chop. Much of it imported illegally from the Middle East and Asia, then sold on the black market, mainly through shopfronts masquerading as convenience stores, grocers, even pet shops. They didn't see these customers coming, health department officials seizing their loot. They don't need a court order to shut them down for 90 days. We are sick and tired of chop-chop shops operating at the expense of our legitimate businesses. Many operate at the direction and intimidation of organised criminal networks. Tonight, their stock is decimated from cooling out of the cans, 1.7 tonnes of loose leaf tobacco, 87,000 vapes and more than 11 million cigarettes were seized. All will now be destroyed, likely only the tip of the iceberg. Some of these stores are keeping a really tiny amount of stock on hand and just replenishing during the day. Only two other Australian states have tobacco laws similar to Queensland's, New South Wales and South Australia, but their raids pale in comparison. In just 10 days, 148 stores were closed in Queensland. In 113 days, 71 shops were closed in South Australia, but in 10 days, only 14 shops were closed in New South Wales. The problem of a federation is we've got borders and people can cross those borders. Hoping to cut the tobacco trade at the root. We've been consistently calling on the Commonwealth Government to boost their investment in Border Force to stop it coming in. Matt Johnston, 10 News.

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