Tobacconists set up shop in Bundaberg

New tobacco stores have opened just metres from each other in the Bundaberg CBD within a matter of days, with one shop assistant saying she took a job selling alleged “illegal tobacco” to keep a roof over her head during the housing crisis.

Brand new tobacconists have opened in the Bundaberg CBD just weeks after a separate tobacconist was raided.

Fatman Tobacconist and VTC have both been welcoming customers since last week.

Bundy Tobacconist was raided on February 9 this year, but was allowed to reopen hours later.

The raid was conducted by the Wide Bay Public Health Unit and Queensland Police, who seized a number of items from the shop as part of Operation Romeo Serge but it’s unclear if charges were laid.

The store has since reopened, and is back selling alleged illegal nicotine vapes again, as well as tobacco, with one customer saying she received a chest infection after smoking mouldy tobacco from the shop.

Bundaberg Tobacco and Gifts on the corner of Targo Street was also raided on July 1, 2022, with officers seizing 4354 nicotine vapes, 37 assorted bongs and eight ‘category m’ flick knives.

Two men were charged in relation to the raid, but they continue to operate the store, with their next court appearance scheduled for October 2022.

Their shop was also allowed to continue operating hours after they were charged.

Bundaberg has become a popular location for alleged illicit tobacco shops, with Fatman Tobacconist and VTC trading recently opening in Bourbong Street.

A shop assistant at one of the stores said she was currently renting, and the job provided her with stability.

“I am not going to put myself in a position of living with my family on the street,” she said.

“If you had the option of doing something to survive or being homeless, what would you choose?

“I have the option of this or being homeless and starving.”

In a video provided to the NewsMail, a woman can be heard telling the person recording that she “didn’t know there were so many under-the-counter places in Bundy” before describing what one of the stores sold.

Chinese-packaged cigarettes for sale at one of the tobacconists.

“I’ve got off-brand Asian cigarettes,” she said.

“So some of them are chop shop... this one is chop shop that’s actually stuffed into a tapered cylinder.”

A shop assistant at Fatman Tobacconist said these cigarettes were "chop shop stuffed into a tapered cylinder.”

VTC Bundy is across the road from Fatman, and has a large variety of nicotine vapes on display.

The prices and flavours are listed on menus stuck to the counter with sticky tape, with prices ranging from $20 to $40 in a number of brands such as iGet, HQD, Gunnpod, X-Qlusive and Max Pro.

According to ASIC, VTC Bundy sits under the entity name VTS Distribution Pty Ltd and is owned by Ibrahim Baba of Dallas, Victoria.

Mr Baba and VTC Bundy were approached for comment, but no comment was given by the deadline.

VTC Bundy sits just across the road from Fatman, and has a large variety of nicotine vapes on display.

The NewsMail approached Health Minister Yvette D’Ath for comment, and received a response from the Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service, which reiterated its stance against illegal tobacco trading.

“The Wide Bay Public Health Unit regularly completes proactive and targeted responses to breaches of the smoking product laws, including seizing products and taking samples to test for illicit nicotine content,” a spokesperson said.

“Illegal tobacco trading is a public health issue, as well as a tax offence, and we work with the responsible federal government agencies to prevent it.

The site where Fatman Tobacconist sits is owned by a Fraser Coast lawyer.

“We encourage community members to formally report information about suspected nicotine products, including tobacco, being sold illegally in the region to 13 QGOV (13 74 68).

“Complaints received about the illegal supply of smoking products by businesses in the Wide Bay region will be investigated to determine if any potential enforcement actions are required and appropriate under Queensland tobacco legislation.

“Matters pertaining to illicit tobacco products that require federal examination will be forwarded to the relevant agencies for investigation.”