Multiple tobacco stores across the Whitsundays were raided and closed with specialist officers seizing illegal tobacco, vapes, and other drug paraphernalia.
The Mackay Public Health Unit raided two tobacco stores in Bowen, one in Proserpine, two in Cannonvale, and three in Airlie Beach.
The stores were ordered to close for 72 hours after seven were found to not have retail licences and were selling illicit tobacco and vapes.
Contraband including 4.5 kilograms of loose tobacco, 167 illegal vapes, 20,460 illegal cigarettes or tobacco sticks, 17 bongs, 60 nicotine pouches and 3 ice pipes were seized from the properties.
A Mackay Hospital and Health spokesperson said these raids were primarily focused on unlicensed retail operations.
“This sends another clear message that premises without a retail tobacco license and illegal tobacco sales will not be tolerated in the community,” the spokesperson said.
“Our authorised officers will continue to be vigilant to ensure retailers of smoking products comply with the law.”
Queensland authorities can now enforce an on-the-spot 72 hour closure on operators who are found to be repeat offenders of selling illicit products or operating without a smoking product licence.
Penalties have also increased, with retailers facing up to two years’ imprisonment or hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines if they are found to be working in a store supplying smoking products during the closure period.
Across the Mackay, Isaac and Whitsunday regions there were 46 compliance inspections completed in the last 12 months, with nine stores previously forced to close for 72 hours.
In the last 12 months police have seized over 3.5 million illegal cigarettes and nearly 26,000 vapes across the region.
Extracted in full from: https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/whitsunday/police-courts/8-whitsundays-vape-shops-shut-down-in-major-police-operation/news-story/522bda7198470debd2882afb1190e291
