Record-breaking Seizure: Over 300,000 Vapes Confiscated in Perth

Aug.14.2023
Record-breaking Seizure: Over 300,000 Vapes Confiscated in Perth
Over 300,000 vapes, worth an estimated $10 million, have been seized from a warehouse in Perth, Australia.

According to a report on the abc.net website on August 14th, Australian health authorities have recently seized a total of 300,000 e-cigarettes worth an estimated $10 million from a warehouse in the northeast of Perth, Western Australia. In addition, over 10 tons of pods were also confiscated. This seizure is said to be the largest of its kind ever recorded in both the state and the country.


Authorities have revealed that over 300,000 e-cigarettes have been discovered, following a sudden operation prompted by a report, according to a statement made by Western Australia's Minister for Health, Amber-Jade Sanderson.


The data for the month of June revealed that the Western Australian Department of Health has filed only one lawsuit against a retailer involved in the illegal sale of nicotine e-cigarettes in the past 12 months. Consequently, the e-cigarette regulatory system implemented by the Western Australian government has faced criticism and scrutiny.


According to the 2014 Pharmacy and Poisons Act, the maximum penalty for selling nicotine e-cigarettes in Western Australia is a personal fine of $45,000 and three years imprisonment, or a company fine of $225,000.


Within the 12 months leading up to June, Western Australia seized 43,000 illegal e-cigarettes and issued dozens of warnings. In May, the Health Department acknowledged that no fines were imposed for illegal possession of e-cigarettes. These devices have been widely sold in stores and through underground online delivery services in Perth. The sale of e-cigarettes without a pharmacist's prescription is illegal.


References:


Over 300,000 vaping devices confiscated from a warehouse in Perth, marking a groundbreaking seizure in Western Australia.



Disclaimer

This article is provided solely for professional research, industry discussion, and informational purposes. Any references to brands, companies, products, technologies, or policies are made for factual reporting and analytical purposes only, and do not constitute endorsement, recommendation, promotion, or advertising by 2Firsts.

Nicotine-containing products, including but not limited to cigarettes, e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and nicotine pouches, carry significant health risks. Readers are responsible for complying with all applicable laws and regulations in their respective jurisdictions, including age restrictions and access limitations.

The information contained in this article should not be regarded as investment, legal, medical, regulatory, or commercial advice. While 2Firsts strives to ensure the accuracy and reliability of its content, it does not assume liability for any direct or indirect loss arising from errors, omissions, inaccuracies, or reliance on the information contained herein.

This article is not intended for individuals below the legal age for accessing tobacco or nicotine-related information in their jurisdiction.

 

Copyright Notice

This article is either original content produced by 2Firsts or content reproduced, translated, summarized, or adapted from third-party sources with attribution where applicable. The intellectual property rights of the original content remain with 2Firsts or the respective original rights holders.

No individual or organization may copy, reproduce, distribute, republish, modify, translate, or otherwise use this content without prior authorization. Any unauthorized use may result in legal action.

For copyright-related inquiries, corrections, or removal requests, please contact: info@2firsts.com.

 

AI-Assisted Translation and Editing Notice

Portions of this article may have been translated, edited, or reviewed with the assistance of artificial intelligence tools to improve efficiency and readability. Due to the limitations of AI-assisted translation and editing, discrepancies, omissions, or inaccuracies may exist when compared with the original source.

Where applicable, readers are advised to refer to the original source for the most complete and accurate information. If you identify any errors or believe that any content infringes upon your rights, please contact us at info@2firsts.com, and we will review and address the matter promptly.

Product | BAT Expands VELO Travellers’ Collection With Mexico, Spain and Sweden Summer Edition Nicotine Pouches
Product | BAT Expands VELO Travellers’ Collection With Mexico, Spain and Sweden Summer Edition Nicotine Pouches
British American Tobacco (BAT) Global Travel Retail has expanded the VELO Travellers’ Collection with three new Summer Editions: Mexico, Spain and Sweden. Inspired by destination themes, the new nicotine pouch variants are designed for global travel-retail channels. The launch further strengthens VELO’s positioning as a travel-retail exclusive product collection.
Aug.27
NAS 2026 | Former FDA Tobacco Chief Mitch Zeller Calls for Shift From “End Game” to “End State”
NAS 2026 | Former FDA Tobacco Chief Mitch Zeller Calls for Shift From “End Game” to “End State”
At the 2026 New Approaches Summit in New York, former FDA Center for Tobacco Products Director Mitch Zeller called for the tobacco harm reduction debate to shift from the traditional “end game” toward defining a desired “end state.” He also highlighted unresolved concerns around dual use, argued that biomarkers of exposure may be more meaningful than cigarettes-per-day in assessing risk reduction, and said nicotine misperceptions remain a major barrier to public health progress.
Sep.25
Kumulus Vape2026 H1 Revenue Falls 8.3% but Profit Rises 24% as B2B Weakens and Consumer Channels Grow
Kumulus Vape2026 H1 Revenue Falls 8.3% but Profit Rises 24% as B2B Weakens and Consumer Channels Grow
French vaping company Kumulus Vape reported first-half 2026 revenue of €25.5 million, down 8.3% year over year, as its core B2B distribution business fell 11% to €21.6 million. B2C and store-network revenue rose 5.6% and 17.8%, respectively. Commercial margin increased to 26.3% from 21.7%, while net profit rose 24.1% to €0.8 million. The company attributed the profitability improvement to catalog optimization, logistics restructuring and the ramp-up of Labster, its in-house production unit for proprietary brands.
Market
Sep.17 by 2Firsts Perspectives
Kantar Study Finds More Than 93% of Vape Products in Ukraine Fail Regulatory Requirements
Kantar Study Finds More Than 93% of Vape Products in Ukraine Fail Regulatory Requirements
According to Interfax-Ukraine, a study conducted by market research firm Kantar Ukraine at the request of major tobacco companies found that more than 93% of vape products in Ukraine did not fully comply with regulatory requirements. The research examined product categories, brand distribution and consumer purchasing channels, showing that pod systems and disposable vapes represent major segments of the market, while offline retail remains the dominant purchasing channel. The findings highlight ongoing compliance challenges in Ukraine’s vape market.
Aug.26
China STMA Deputy Administrator Meets KT&G COO as Heated Cigarette Rules Advance
China STMA Deputy Administrator Meets KT&G COO as Heated Cigarette Rules Advance
Wang Gongcheng, deputy administrator of China’s State Tobacco Monopoly Administration, met KT&G Chief Operating Officer Lee Sang-hak in Shanghai on September 1, according to Oriental Tobacco News. The meeting comes as China seeks public comment on a draft mandatory national standard for heated cigarettes. The report did not disclose the subjects discussed or indicate whether heated tobacco products or market access were addressed.
News
Sep.02
Product | KT&G to Launch lil Tonino Lamborghini in South Korea, Bringing 3-Second Heat-Up to New HTP Platform
Product | KT&G to Launch lil Tonino Lamborghini in South Korea, Bringing 3-Second Heat-Up to New HTP Platform
KT&G will launch the lil Tonino Lamborghini heated tobacco device in Seoul on September 15, 2026. The product introduces a new heating technology called Flashwave Heating, which uses microwaves to heat tobacco sticks internally and delivers a manufacturer-rated heat-up time of about three seconds. The device features an all-metal aluminum body, a color display and a dedicated GUI, and launches alongside a new line of NAU tobacco sticks that are incompatible with existing lil consumables. Korean media describe the product as KT&G's first new heated tobacco platform since lil AIBLE was introduced in 2022.
Aug.31