Retailers are calling on the Albanese government to implement stronger measures to curb the trade of illegal tobacco and vape products.
Theo Foukkare, CEO of the Australian Association of Convenience Stores (AACS), said that the illegal nicotine market is now worth more than $7 billion per year and growing.
Foukkare also noted that there are about 3000 illegal tobacco retailers operating across Australia, but little has been done to address it.
“Local and state governments are trying their best to combat this problem – but the reality is it is a disjointed approach and there just aren’t enough resources available to them to shut this dangerous black market down that is being run by dangerous crime gangs,” Foukkare said.
The AACS represents over 7000 law abiding convenience stores that employ more than 75,000 people nationwide.
“Health Minister Mark Butler continues to acknowledge that illicit tobacco and vapes are being sold by crime gangs who then use the tax-free profit they make to fund the importation of drugs and even sex trafficking into our vulnerable communities, yet his approach so far has been to leave it to the states, territories and local council workers to try and quash this monster and that is just not working,” Foukkare said.
“AACS is calling on Federal Labor to put politics aside and adopt the same policy as the Coalition when it comes to taking charge at a Federal level with an AFP Taskforce being setup in every state to adequately fight crime groups and shut down the illicit tobacco and vape black market.”