Behind every packet of illicit tobacco you'll find organised crime networks, who are profiting from harmful products that damage health, fund other illegal activities, and weaken community safety.
Help crackdown on illicit tobacco or vapes by safely sharing information with the right authorities.
Behind every packet of illicit tobacco you’ll find organised crime networks profiting from harmful products that damage health, fund other illegal activities, and weaken community safety.
Organised crime groups see illicit tobacco as a low-risk, high-profit trade compared to drugs and other illegal activities. What began on the east coast has now expanded into Western Australia, as criminal groups push to grow their market share and profits.
The Hidden Cost of Illicit Tobacco
Business fronts: Stores selling illicit tobacco often pretend to sell other legitimate products, which makes them difficult to spot and regulate.
Lack of oversight: Because these products are unregulated, there’s no control over what’s inside them or how they’re made.
Health risks: Illicit tobacco is a serious health hazard – half of the cigarettes sold to Australia’s 2.7 million smokers are now illegal. They might be cheap, but they are equally, if not more, harmful than legal products.
The Bigger Impact
This trade isn’t just bad for smokers. It is used by organised crime groups to fund other illegal activities such as the supply of methylamphetamine, heroin and other commodities. It reduces government tax income which is money that should be funding vital community services like health and education.
Illicit tobacco and vapes are the cheaper, untaxed alternatives to legal cigarettes and tobacco products, including vapes (e-cigarettes).
In Western Australia (WA) the Department of Health are responsible for enforcement relating to the sale and supply of tobacco and vapes.
The sale and supply of tobacco and vapes in WA is regulated under the Tobacco Products Control Act 2006 (WA) and the Medicines and Poisons Act 2014 (WA). These laws are administered by the Department of Health which conducts inspections, seizes illegal products and prosecutes violations.
No, the Department of Health is responsible for enforcing the illicit sale of tobacco in Western Australia, making sure sellers are licensed and products meet legal standards.
Please refer to this Reporting information sheet on what to report and who to.
Criminal gangs import illicit tobacco from overseas.
We acknowledge the traditional custodians throughout Western Australia and their continuing connection to the land, waters and community. We pay our respects to all members of the Aboriginal communities and their cultures; and to Elders both past and present.
The artwork titled ‘Working Together’ represents the Aboriginal tribes of Western Australia working together in harmony to rejuvenate the land by controlled fires.
In this artwork it also represents our community today working together to keep our neighbourhood safe from crime.
