Australia Government to Crack Down on Illegal Tobacco and E-cigarette Sales

Sep.30.2024
Australia Government to Crack Down on Illegal Tobacco and E-cigarette Sales
South Australia government to crack down on illegal tobacco and e-cigarette sales, offenders may face over $1 million fines.

According to a report by the Daily Mail on September 30th, the South Australian government is set to crack down on illegal tobacco and e-cigarette sales. Stores found in violation may be ordered to cease operations for several months and could face fines exceeding one million Australian dollars.


The South Australian government is moving forward with legislation to empower Consumer and Business Services Minister Andrea Michaels to shut down shops suspected of selling illegal products. If the legislation passes, the minister's initial order will have a 72-hour duration and can be extended to six months with approval from a local magistrate.


Any store that violates the order may face fines up to a maximum of 1.1 million Australian dollars, while individuals could be fined up to 700,000 Australian dollars. Michaels stated that the government's special task force has already seized illegal tobacco and e-cigarettes worth over one million Australian dollars, but further action is still needed.


This is a good start, but we have seen some of the targeted shops reopen almost immediately, which is unacceptable. We will not allow these criminals to profit from targeting unsuspecting people and endangering the health of our children, using the proceeds to fund other illegal activities.


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