Major taskforce to combat NSW’s illegal tobacco black market

The Minns government has ramped up its action against illicit cigarettes and vaping products — announcing a multi-agency taskforce to combat the growing black market.

Health Minister Ryan Park announcing the government's new license scheme for tobacco beginning on July 1.

A major taskforce has been announced to combat NSW’s illicit cigarette and vaping black market.

The Minns Government has confirmed the unit will feature representatives from Police, Health, Fair Trading, Liquor and Gaming and the Department of Communities and Justice.

They will be tasked with developing options for how to improve tobacco compliance and enforcement, while also overseeing the new licensing scheme which began on July 1.

It comes after a major campaign from The Daily and Sunday Telegraph, which uncovered illegal $10 cigarettes being sold across Sydney and a growing number of illegal retailers, including directly opposite State Parliament.

This masthead has also revealed that a single bureaucrat was overseeing an area in NSW the size of Denmark.

Speaking from the Ministry of Health in St Leonards, Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant reiterated her support for her workers tasked with policing tobacco compliance across the state.

“It’s a challenge — but we are recruiting staff who have the appropriate skills and capability,” she said.

“To get on top of this issue, which is complex … really requires everyone to be pulling together.

“For the police to be going after the criminals and for us to assist in some of the more routine aspects of the compliance.”

Dr Chant said their initial approach was “education around the new laws” however they had now “moved towards prosecutions — which is our preferred method.”

Health Minister Ryan Park said NSW was “the last jurisdiction across the country to introduce a tobacco licensing scheme.”

“This can’t come soon enough. I know as a local member and a local dad, the proliferation of these shops selling illegal tobacco is a real concern,” Mr Park said.

The number of businesses registered to sell tobacco has exploded in NSW from 15,000 to 20,000 in the past five years.

From July 1, each of these retailers and wholesalers will need to apply for a license, while the government has the right to reject individuals based on their criminal history.

Health Minister Ryan Park and Dr Kerry Chant inspect some of the illicit tobacco and vaping products seized by authorities.

Earlier on Tuesday, Premier Chris Minns expressed support for a Coalition bill proposing harsher penalties for businesses who were caught selling illicit cigarettes and vapes.

The legislation from Shadow Health Minister Kellie Sloane would see a premises shut down for a month and the landlord given the power to remove them from the premises.

“We’d be silly to just reject an idea because it comes from the Opposition,” Mr Minns told 2GB’s Ben Fordham.

Originally published as Major taskforce to combat NSW’s illegal tobacco black market