State government encouraging public reports on illegal tobacco and vape trade

South Australians are being recruited to crackdown on the selling of illegal vapes and smokes. Here’s how you can help.

South Australians are being encouraged by the state government to report stores selling illicit tobacco and vapes to Consumer and Business Services.

They estimated about 200 tobacco stores are illegally operating without a licence throughout SA, with most of their products imported from overseas.

These cigarettes and vapes pose health risks as the packets do not contain the necessary health warnings or go through the necessary screening process.

Vapes that have been tested are found to contain chemicals like arsenic and lead.

These stores have also been serious threats to the community with 20 reported arson attacks reported in the last year in relation to the illicit tobacco trade.

A shop selling e-cigarettes on Sir Donald Bradman Drive in Cowandilla was firebombed last year. There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing by the subject of the attack. Picture: Brett Hartwig

An arson attack on a Cowandilla shop back in October last year forced several residents in the area to flee and was potentially linked to interstate crime syndicates.

There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing by the store that was attacked or any suggestion that store was doing anything illegal.

According to the Australian Border Force, an estimated 75 per cent of the illegal tobacco market is controlled by organised crime.

Consumer and Business Affairs Minister Andrea Michaels said the state government was taking the threats posed by the illegal industry “extremely seriously”

“We are not going to allow these illegal shops to operate in our community,” Ms Michaels said.

“We have all seen the danger they bring including to innocent neighbouring businesses.”

The latest announcement comes weeks after a government press conference featured a bungled shut-down of an illegal tobacco store in Hindmarsh.

The government will continue to crack down on these illegal stores with penalties going up to $1.5m.

To report illegal tobacco or vape dealers, readers can visit www.cbs.sa.gov.au/tobacco

Originally published as State government encouraging public reports on illegal tobacco and vape trade