Three tobacco stores in Townsville have been shut down for 90 days following a statewide crackdown on illegal tobacco and nicotine vapes. The closures are part of a broader operation by Queensland Health and police targeting retailers suspected of selling illicit 'chop chop' tobacco and nicotine products.
The operation, which also affected stores in Rockhampton, Bundaberg, Maryborough, Kingaroy, and the Sunshine Coast, comes after new laws were passed last week giving Queensland Health stronger enforcement powers. The legislation allows for immediate 90-day closures, up from the previous 72-hour limit.
Queensland Health said it is committed to dismantling the supply of illegal vaping and tobacco products. A spokesperson stated that the zero-tolerance approach, backed by nation-leading penalties, has been effective in stopping the sale of millions of illegal products.
Health and Ambulance Services Minister Tim Nicholls described the new laws as 'an absolute game changer,' noting that public health enforcement officers now have strengthened powers to tackle the black market. Authorities can also seize nitrous oxide bulbs and canisters found with illegal tobacco or nicotine products.
The laws include fines of up to $161,300 or one year in jail for commercial landlords who knowingly allow tenants to sell illegal cigarettes and vapes. In Townsville, people outside one closed store directed customers to another shop selling cigarette packets for $10.
