Rival gang turf wars feared as Brisbane named illicit vape capital

Brisbane has become the illicit vape capital of Australia, with record seizures, as rival crime gangs wage a turf war reminiscent of the explosive Melbourne attacks.

Brisbane has become the illicit vape capital of Australia as rival crime gangs wage a turf war reminiscent of the explosive attacks in Melbourne.

Australian Border Force Acting Commander Troy Sokoloff said Brisbane had recorded the highest detection of illicit vapes in the country with a large percentage of sea cargo concealments seized at Port of Brisbane’s Container Examination Facility (CEF).

“We’ve seized over 130,000 vapes and in terms of a volumetric perspective we actually have the highest detection rate of vapes in the country,” he said.

Acting Commander Sokoloff said the ABF’s operational environment in Queensland was “complex”.

“We’ve got such a large coastline and we are very reliant on our intelligence and also the community,” he said.

Flynn Ramsay and Rachael Lawrence. ABF Container Examination Facility. Picture: John Gass

While an ABF spokesman said illicit tobacco was a “complex and multi-jurisdictional problem that requires a multifaceted response to address the serious organised crime, health and public safety issues”.

“The ABF is targeting and seizing record levels of illicit tobacco at the border, but we know that border control measures alone won’t fix the problem,” the spokesman said.

“Organised crime groups are estimated to control 75 per cent of the illicit tobacco market in Australia and those involved are among the highest levels of criminality in Australia.”

From January 1, the Australian government implemented a ban on the importation of disposable single use vapes, which at the time was labelled a “major public health issue” by Federal Health Minister Mark Butler.

Flynn Ramsay and Rachael Lawrence. ABF Container Examination Facility (CEF). Picture: John Gass

“Vaping is creating a whole new generation of nicotine dependency in our community,” Mr Butler said in January.

“Vaping was sold to governments and communities around the world as a therapeutic product to help long-term smokers quit. It was not sold as a recreational product – especially not one targeted to our kids but that is what it has become.”

Nationally, the ABF has seized more than 6 million vape devices and accessories since January 1.

In the 2023-24 FY, officers also seized 1.8 billion cigarettes and 436 tonnes of loose leaf tobacco.

In October, Queensland Police Commissioner Steve Gollschewski said QPS had a “specified interest” in targeting crimes linked to tobacco stores with the service also monitoring the growing number of attacks in Melbourne.

Vapes confiscated by Queensland principals.

“Now, what we do know – it happens all the time – is that organised crime will absolutely target those kinds of commodities where there are significant profits. So of course, we expect that there’s to be elements of this and it’s certainly of interest at a national level,” he said.

Queensland Police set up dedicated Taskforce Victor Masher in June last year after an increase in theft and arson targeting vape and tobacconists across the state.

The Courier-Mail last week revealed Australia Post had allegedly been infiltrated by a “deeply concerning” criminal syndicate using its network to move thousands of kilograms of illicit tobacco through south east Queensland and possibly fund human trafficking or murder.

At least seven parcel delivery contractors have been stood down by Australia Post after Australian Border Force investigators disrupted an alleged criminal syndicate that had imported more than 16,000 packages labelled with false addresses between June 1 and October 21.

Investigations remain ongoing but Acting Commander Sokoloff said the scale of the operation was deeply concerning.

“The syndicate in question appears to have circumvented our border processes by co-opting trusted insiders to illegally import illicit tobacco into Australia,” Acting Commander Sokoloff said.

“What is not commonly acknowledged regarding serious organised crime groups importing illicit tobacco is that the profits are used to fund further nefarious crimes such as human trafficking, illicit drug importations and murder.”

Laws passed by Queensland parliament in September mean retailers supplying and possessing illicit tobacco and vapes face up to two years’ imprisonment or court penalties of up to $322,600 for individuals or $1.6m for a corporation.

Australia’s illegal cigarette and vape trade is now worth an estimated $8 billion with members of the public encouraged to report suspicious border-related activity through Border Watch.