Consumer and Business Services officers seize over $1m in illegal tobacco products in raid on shop in Adelaide’s north

This is what the biggest illegal tobacco seizure in the history of the agency tasked with rounding up dodgy dealers looks like. Watch the video.

• Tobacco war sparks calls to slash taxes

More than $1 million worth of illicit tobacco and vapes have been seized by officers in the biggest bust in the force’s history.

Consumer and Business Services’ illicit tobacco task force officers raided a store in Adelaide’s northern suburbs this week and seized illicit cigarettes, vapes, tobacco and nicotine pouches with a street value of more than $1m.

It included approximately 548,000 cigarettes, 12,000 vapes and more than 500 containers of nicotine pouches.

In footage obtained of the raid, officers can be seen exposing the store’s clandestine methods of operation, opening drawers to reveal false bottoms, removing the parts of the roof and opening hidden cupboards.

Hidden within were the illegal products.

Consumer and Business Affairs Minister Andrea Michaels and Commissioner for Consumer Affairs Brett Humphrey with CBS' biggest illicit tobacco bust with $1 million worth of product seized at a single store. Picture: Keryn Stevens.

12,000 vapes were seized in the raid on the northern suburbs store. Picture: Keryn Stevens.

Some of the 500 containers of the nicotine pouches seized in the raid. Picture: Keryn Stevens.

Since this specific taskforce was developed in July 2024, it has been the largest bust to date in a single inspection.

“Trade in illicit tobacco remains a significant concern for us but getting so much illicit product off the streets in just over a month demonstrates how seriously we’re taking this,” commissioner for consumer affairs Brett Humphrey said.

“This should serve as a reminder that if you want to be involved in the sale of illicit tobacco in our state, it’s only a matter of time before we seize your product and you will be subject to significant fines.”

The taskforce has also been active in regional South Australia over the past few weeks with a series of raids in the Murraylands and Adelaide Hills seizing more than 200,000 cigarettes, 50 kgs of loose tobacco and nearly 850 vapes valued at more than $225,000.

“We know that it is increasingly organised crime behind these illegal tobacco shops and we are going to continue to raid these businesses, get these product off the streets and shut these stores down,” Andrea Michaels, Consumer and Business Affairs Minister said.

Originally published as Consumer and Business Services officers seize over $1m in illegal tobacco products in raid on shop in Adelaide’s north