Police treating tobacconist fire south of Brisbane as suspicious

Police are treating a fire at a Beenleigh tobacconist in the early hours of Saturday morning as suspicious, following a string of arson attacks across Brisbane and fears of a growing tobacco turf war.

Emergency crews were called to Uncle Billy’s Tobacconist on City Road in Beenleigh, near Logan, around 4.30am.

They arrived to find the business fully engulfed.

Less than a month after a Fortitude Valley tobacconist was “firebombed” in a suspected turf war attack, a tobacconist in Beenleigh, south of Brisbane, has been engulfed by fire. Credit: William Davis

Several fire crews attended the scene and worked to contain the blaze.

A crime scene was declared with police continuing to investigate the cause and motive of the attack.

The fire is the latest incident involving a tobacconist, with police expressing fears of an escalating “turf war” between organised crime groups allegedly selling illegal cigarettes and vapes in Brisbane.

In late December, a Fortitude Valley tobacco shop was destroyed after being firebombed by a masked man in the early hours of the morning, just weeks after opening.

Addressing media the day after the attack, Inspector Jane Healy said all possible links were being explored.

“We have had a number of tobacco stores targeted recently,” she said.

“We can’t confirm whether or not this is related, but that link is being investigated.”

Following the Fortitude Valley attack, Police Minister Dan Purdie announced dedicated resources to investigate and curb the growing issue.

“[The incidents are] certainly something that we don’t want to spread or escalate,” Purdie said in December.

“We’ve got assigned detectives in Queensland that are now focusing on potential criminal links to the illegal tobacco trade.

“It’s a growing issue.”

The incidents come after Brisbane Times revealed in November many convenience stores in the CBD and surrounding suburbs were selling illegally imported cigarettes and vapes under the counter.

More than 5.2 million cigarettes and 1.2 tonnes of loose tobacco were seized from Queensland retailers over just 12 weeks from July.

About 8500 illegal vapes and 12,000 nicotine pouches were also found.

Organised crime is believed to control about 75 per cent of the market.

At the end of 2024, at least 350 retail businesses across Queensland were under investigation by Queensland Health, which is responsible for enforcing tobacco regulations.

At least 13 businesses are being prosecuted in court.

Across Australia, about 1784 tonnes of tobacco – equivalent to about two billion cigarettes – was seized by border forces last financial year. It equates to roughly $3 billion in unpaid taxes.

Police did not suggest any wrongdoing or illegal activity by the operators of Uncle Billy’s Tobacconist, only treating the fire as suspicious.