Stonyfell Smoke tobacconist among three more shops forced to close under SA’s new laws

Another three Adelaide smoke shops have been forced to close immediately, including one beside an elite girls’ school. See which ones.

Three more tobacco shops, including one near a primary school in Adelaide’s leafy east, are the latest to be shut in a flurry of forced 28-day closures under new laws.

Al Barakah Groceries in Salisbury East and Urban Groceries at Seaford were slapped with short-term closure orders on Friday under beefed-up laws targeting illicit tobacco product vendors.

Stonyfell Smoke – near the private St Peter’s Girls’ school at Stonyfell – was shut on Thursday.

The Hallet Rd shop had been targeted in a suspected 3am arson attack in October.

A Consumer and Business Services notice posted on the roller shutter at Stonyfell Smoke said “tobacco products or e-cigarette products are being, or are likely to be, unlawfully sold or supplied at the premises”.

Stonyfell Smoke, on Hallet Rd at Stonyfell, has been forced to close for 28 days. Picture: Darren Chaitman

A Consumer and Business Services notice enforcing the closure of Stonyfell Smoke. Picture: Jack Batty, supplied

“There is no record of a current retail or wholesale tobacco licence for this premises,” the notice read.

Local Liberal MP and opposition police spokesman Jack Batty said on Facebook the closure was a “good start” but it was concerning the Stonyfell store was “right next to a school”.

“I had complaints from the community about the store more than a year ago now, and I’ve been asking the government to act basically ever since then,” Mr Batty told The Advertiser.

He said he had questioned the government about it in parliament again on Monday.

“I hope it doesn’t just reopen again in 28 days – we’ve really got to get them gone for good,” Mr Batty said.

The CBS notice taped to the shopfront has since been removed. The store remains shuttered.

Stonyfell Smoke, on Hallet Rd at Stonyfell, has been forced to close for 28 days. Picture: Darren Chaitman

Nine Adelaide smoke shops have been hit with the same order since reforms to South Australia’s illicit tobacco laws took effect on June 5.

Consumer Affairs Minister Andrea Michaels said the government’s illicit tobacco taskforce was “acting swiftly to close these stores down”.

“We have made it absolutely clear that illicit tobacco and vapes are not welcome in our state and we will continue to throw everything at this to put these criminals out of business,” she said.

The other closed shops include three on Rundle St in Adelaide’s CBD, which were shut for 28 days – Rundle East Convenience, Rundle City Convenience and The Ultimate Convenience – along with Grenfell City Convenience on Grenfell St.

CBS also forced 28-day closures of Freechoice Tobacconist at Parafield Gardens and TJs Takeaway at Ethelton – a fish and chip shop that advertised selling takeaway food “and much more”.

A newer store, XL Convenience on Grenfell St, was served with a three-day closure notice.

Stonyfell Smoke, Al Barakah Groceries and Urban Groceries could not be reached for comment.

Originally published as Stonyfell Smoke tobacconist among three more shops forced to close under SA’s new laws