Recently, the Western Australia Department of Health confiscated 300,000 e-cigarettes, with a combined weight of 15 tons, from a warehouse in the northeastern part of Perth. The estimated value of the seized e-cigarettes is AU$10 million. Additionally, over 10 tons of e-liquid cartridges were also seized. This incident is reported to be the largest single seizure of e-cigarettes in both the history of the state and the entire country.
Authorities have reported that more than 300,000 e-cigarettes were discovered during the operation. According to a statement by Western Australia Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson, this sudden action was carried out following a tip-off.
Data from June indicated that the Western Australia Health Department had only initiated one prosecution against a retailer involved in the illegal sale of nicotine e-cigarettes in the past 12 months. Subsequently, the e-cigarette regulatory system of the Western Australia government has faced criticism and scrutiny.
As per the 2014 Medicines and Poisons Act, the maximum penalty for selling nicotine e-cigarettes in Western Australia includes a personal fine of $45,000 and a three-year prison sentence, while companies could face fines of up to $225,000.
In the 12 months leading up to June, Western Australia confiscated 43,000 illegal e-cigarettes and issued numerous warnings. In May, the Health Department acknowledged that no fines had been imposed for the illegal possession of e-cigarettes. These device kits have been widely sold in stores and through underground online delivery services in Perth. The sale of e-cigarettes without a prescription from a pharmacist is considered illegal.
*The content of this article is written after the extraction, compilation and integration of multiple information for exchange and learning purposes. The copyright of the summary information still belongs to the original article and its author. If any infringement is found, please contact us to delete it.
