Australian Border Force Blocks Massive Vape Shipment Following China Intelligence

Key Points 

• In the past two months, Australian customs have intercepted 600,000 illegal e-cigarettes, valued at approximately 30 million Australian dollars (around 19 million US dollars); 
• Australia's liaison officer in Beijing, China, has reported nearly 70 "high-risk" containers domestically; 
• Containers were falsely declared as glass bottles, lamps, toy cars, curtains, etc.; 
• Australia considers "upstream disruption" as a core strategy; Annual black market could reach up to 6 billion Australian dollars (about 3.8 billion US dollars).

2Firsts, November 21, 2025 — According to SkyNews.com.au, Australian customs officials are intensifying their cross-border intelligence strategy to curb the massive flow of illegal vapes into the country. Over the past two months, the Australian Border Force (ABF) has seized more than 600,000 illicit vapes, one of the largest hauls to date.

Officials in Beijing alerted ABF to nearly 70 “high-risk” shipping containers. Searches conducted between September and October uncovered thousands of cartons of illegal vapes falsely declared as glass bottles, lamps, toy cars, curtains, books, and balls. Manufacturers made little effort to disguise the contents, placing thousands of devices in unmarked boxes.

The ABF has positioned “upstream disruption” as a central pillar of its anti-smuggling strategy, supported by Tobacco Liaison Officers stationed in Hong Kong, Bangkok, London, and other locations.

ABF estimated the market value of the seized vapes at around AUD 30 million — roughly AUD 50 per device — despite many being sold under-the-counter for much less, with production costs as low as AUD 2.50 per unit.

ABF’s Acting Commander of Targeting, Laura Uttley, said that cross-border collaboration had been crucial:

“The engagement behind the scenes with our international partner agencies needs to be commended.”

Between January and October, ABF received more than 1,000 overseas intelligence tips and prevented the entry of:

• 524 million cigarettes
• 1 million vapes
• 918 tonnes of loose tobacco

A major seizure in Sydney in September involved 95,000 vapes declared as “perforated strips,” with the investigation ongoing.

Studies estimate that between 700,000 and 1.6 million Australian adults vape frequently. The Australian Association of Convenience Stores believes that around 120 million vapes are sold annually. Using ABF’s valuation, the black market could be worth up to AUD 6 billion, with most profits flowing to organised crime syndicates.

Black-market cigarettes have also surged; under-the-counter packs of 20 can sell for as little as AUD 10. Illegal cigarette sales have doubled from 3.1 billion in 2022 to 6.6 billion in 2025. A British American Tobacco Australia spokesperson said the rapid acceleration was due to “the highest excise setting in the world,” which had pushed prices “into the stratosphere.”

Image source: SkyNews