Australia Cracks Down on Illegal E-Cigarettes Valued at $9.68 Million USD in Largest Seizure

According to a report by the Australian Department of Health on April 23, in a joint operation, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and Victorian police seized nearly 500,000 illegal e-cigarettes, the largest quantity ever seized in a single operation. The estimated value of the seized e-cigarettes is over 15 million Australian dollars ($9.68 million USD), with investigations still ongoing.

Since the implementation of new e-cigarette import regulations on January 1, 2024, the Australian Border Force (ABF) has prevented tens of thousands of illegal disposable e-cigarette products from entering the region. As of now, the ABF has discovered over 4603 shipments and seized more than 611,000 e-cigarette products.

Health ministers from across Australia have urged the federal parliament to pass the next round of e-cigarette reforms, which are currently on the agenda in federal parliament. The proposed legislation would regulate e-cigarette products as therapeutic goods, prohibiting the importation, manufacture, supply, commercial possession, and advertising of disposable and non-therapeutic e-cigarettes. In clinically appropriate cases, e-cigarettes containing nicotine can still be prescribed to assist with smoking cessation or nicotine dependence control.

The 2024 Disease Prevention and Control and other Legislative Amendments (e-cigarette reform) specifically target commercial and criminal activities involving the illegal supply of e-cigarettes. It includes bans on advertising and prohibits the promotion of e-cigarette products targeting children and young people on social media.

The Australian Health Minister stated in his introduction that,

Although the investigation is still ongoing, this is the largest confirmation we have had so far of suspected illegal e-cigarettes, sending a clear message to those seeking to supply e-cigarettes. Over 611,000 people have been apprehended at the border. Since the Albanian government banned the import of e-cigarettes, ABF and TGA have seized over 1 million e-cigarettes in total, in addition to this operation. Our coordinated efforts are working to control a product that is addicting a whole new generation to nicotine.

We now need Parliament to pass legislation to restore the original purpose of e-cigarettes, which is to help stubborn smokers quit smoking - by prescription from a doctor and purchase in a pharmacy like any other prescription.