Sixteen days after Western Australia's new tobacco laws came into effect, more than 140,000 illegal cigarettes and 613 vapes have been seized from six stores. The new laws increased penalties on offenders and allowed authorities to close down stores involved in selling illicit tobacco and vapes for up to 90 days.
More than 140,000 illegal cigarettes and 613 vapes have been seized from six stores in Western Australia since the new tobacco laws came into effect on Wednesday.
The new laws give authorities the power to close stores involved in selling illicit tobacco and vapes for up to 90 days and increase penalties on offenders. In the first 72 hours of the new legislation, four stores in the Perth metro area and two in regional WA were closed due to alleged illegal sales. The total haul from all six stores included 5.2 kilograms of loose-leaf tobacco and 141,000 cigarettes.
WA Health Minister Meredith Hammat said the closures proved the effectiveness of the WA laws in disrupting the illicit tobacco trade across the state. Laura Hunter, CEO of the Australian Council of Smoking and Health, said that while WA was initially lagging behind other states, the new laws showed progress. But it was important to introduce the second part of the legislation and to crack down on the illicit tobacco trade.
WA Police Minister Reece Whitby also warned other shop owners involved in illicit sales that they would be caught and dealt with.
Western Australia Tobacco Laws New Regulations New Legislation New Laws Illegitimate Tobacco Closed Down Seizures Hard Crackdown Chronical Conditions
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