Bundaberg Tobacco and Gifts raided by police, border force

Police and Australian Border Force officers have raided a Bundaberg tobacco and vape store - the second of its kind to be targeted in the city in recent months. EXCLUSIVE VIDEO.

Two men have been issued with a notice to appear at the Bundaberg Magistrates Court following a raid on Friday morning.

Dramatic scenes unfolded in the Bundaberg CBD as police and Australian Border Force officers swarmed a newly opened tobacco store.

Footage captured by the Bundaberg NewsMail shows police tape around Bundaberg Tobacco and Gifts and large brown bags of items being carried out of the Bourbong St business.

A number of alleged illicit tobacco products were seized including 4354 nicotine vapes, 37 assorted bongs and eight ‘category m’ flick knives.

Bundy Tobacco and Gifts was raided on Friday, with officers seizing more than 4000 nicotine vapes.

The raid comes just two weeks after the store, which was also allegedly selling nicotine vapes, opened.

Bags full of vaping products could be seen being carried out of the store and filling the back of a police paddy wagon.

The NewsMail approached the store owner for comment but they declined.

It’s the second tobacco store in Bundaberg that has been raided in the space of five months.

A 22-year-old man, and another man whose aged has not been disclosed, were issued with a notice to appear for one count each of possess S4 S8 medicine/poison, possess utensils for use and possess category M weapons.

The men are due to appear in Bundaberg Magistrates Court on July 18.

Officers load bags of seized items into a paddy wagon.

Bundaberg’s Shane Kerrigan owns iVape, a legal vaping business which also had a store in Hervey Bay.

Mr Kerrigan told the NewsMail he was forced to close his Hervey Bay store yesterday due to alleged black market tobacco in the region killing his once thriving business.

“We’ve seen raids five times in the Bay and we’ve seen it at least once here locally,” he said.

Just some of the bags taken from the shop that was allegedly selling nicotine vapes.

“It‘s exciting, it’s good for the local population, the local children, the local businesses, but will it be back tomorrow? That’s my greatest fear.

“Really what we need is a change in the current legislation.

“The black market tobacco is out of control because of it.

“Making nicotine for vaping a pharmaceutical item only available via a chemist with a prescription from a doctor is out of control, and that’s what’s forced this black market, this legislation needs to be changed and fast.”

The store is one of four new tobacco outlets that have popped up in the Bundaberg region in recent months.

Originally published as Bundaberg Tobacco and Gifts raided by police, border force