Two Kingaroy smoke shops temporarily shut after police raids

Tens of thousands of allegedly illegal cigarettes, tobacco and vapes has been seized in shop raids across the South Burnett as part of a wider statewide crackdown on the trade, authorities say.

Several smoke shops in the South Burnett were raided last week, with tens of thousands of dollars of goods seized as part of the state government’s crack down on the illicit tobacco and vape trade.

Tens of thousands of allegedly illegal cigarettes, tobacco and vapes has been seized in shop raids across the South Burnett as part of a wider statewide crackdown on the trade, authorities say.

A Qld Health spokesman said on Tuesday, June 24, police and public health officials conducted searches at three shops in Kingaroy with two, including Master Tobacconist and Vapes on Haly St, hit with “interim closure orders”.

It was alleged a large number of items were seized during the searches, which included more than 100,000 illicit cigarettes, 6.6kg of illicit loose leaf tobacco, 903 vapes, and 27 drug paraphernalia items.

No charges have been laid.

A sign posted on the door of Master Tobacconist and Vapes on Haly Street, Kingaroy said the business had to remain closed for 72 hours and faced a maximum penalty of $32,260 for allegedly breaching the Tobacco and Other Smoke Products Act 1998. Photo: Rebecca Hamilton / Google Maps

The crackdown comes only a few months after an April raid in which 196 bongs, 52 ice pipes, 691 vapes, and more than 90,000 illicit cigarettes were allegedly seized from two other shops in Kingaroy.

A Darling Downs Health spokesman said the department has a responsibility, to public safety and will continue to respond to complaints about breaches of the law.

“The Darling Downs Public Health Unit has a responsibility, in the interest of public safety, to undertake proactive and targeted responses to breaches of smoking products laws, including vapes, as the sale of non regulated products presents a risk to the community,” the spokesman said.

“Our officers will continue to respond to complaints about the sale of illicit tobacco and other alleged breaches of the Tobacco and Other Smoke Products Act 1998.”

According to Queensland Health, between January and May of this year, more than 32 million illicit cigarettes, 4.1 tonnes of loose tobacco, and 201,000 vaping goods collectively worth over $38.2 million have been seized across the state. Photo: John Gass

A sign posted on the door of Master Tobacconist shop Kingaroy said the business had to remain closed for 72 hours and faced a maximum penalty of $32,260 for allegedly breaching the Act.

Shoppers were counting down the hours until the store reportedly reopened on Friday, with social media posts revealing a queue had formed outside in the hour leading up to the reopening.

Earlier this month, a Courier-Mail investigation revealed more than 360 shops on Queensland had been caught selling illegal cigarettes, vapes or tobacco pouches between May 2024 to May 2025.

According to Queensland Health, between January and May of this year, more than 32 million illicit cigarettes, 4.1 tonnes of loose tobacco, and 201,000 vaping goods collectively worth over $38.2 million have been seized across the state.

Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Tim Nicholls (right) in Brisbane with a public health officer and some illegal tobacco on Tuesday, May 6, 2025. Photo: John Gass

Australian Association of Convenience Stores chief executive Theo Foukkare said the proceeds from illegal tobacco and vapes goes back to whichever groups are running the operations to fund drugs, weapons and other criminal activity in the alleged “tobacco wars”.

“It’s used to import weapons and use them that are used in crimes in the community, like it’s all linked together,” Mr Foukkare said.

“That’s the most disheartening thing, that most people that are buying these illegal products, they don’t actually understand that by supporting these illegal products, you’re actually supporting people that are creating havoc in the communities.”