Media release – Roger Jaensch, Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing, 1 April 2025
Estimated $1.5 million of illicit tobacco and vaping products seized in Tasmania
Illicit tobacco and vaping products with an estimated retail value of approximately $1.5 million have been seized during a recent joint operation by the Department of Health.
Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing, Roger Jaensch, said Public Health Services had taken an inter-agency approach together to detect, disrupt and seize illicit tobacco and vaping products, to protect and safeguard the health of all Tasmanians.
“The seizure was a collaborative inter-agency effort that demonstrated the Tasmanian Government’s commitment to taking strong action to prevent the harms of smoking and vaping,” Minister Jaensch said.
“This backs our nation-leading approach through the Public Health Amendment (Vaping) Bill (2024) which recently received in-principal agreement in the Tasmania Parliament.
“The Bill aims to protect our community, particularly our youth, from the harms of smoking and vaping.
“We are working proactively to enforce legislation regulating the legal sale and supply of tobacco and vaping products and interrupt the supply of illicit smoking products. The Tasmanian Government is also employing 6.7FTE compliance officers to crack down on illegal tobacco.
“At an estimated retail value of $1.5 million, this is a significant seizure for Tasmania and includes more than 23,000 packets of cigarettes, close to 5000 vapes and 112 kg of loose tobacco.”
All illicit products seized are destroyed and reported to the Australian Border Force and Therapeutic Goods Administration, as the Commonwealth regulators of illicit tobacco and vaping products.
The Department of Health also shares information with Biosecurity Tasmania, the Australian Border Force and Australia Post to help prevent illicit products from entering our state.
For more information about smoking product legislation is available here.
Media release – TSBC, 1 April 2025
Illicit Tobacco and Vapes Seizure welcomed, But Oh so much more to do
‘The seizure last week of an estimated $1.5million worth of tobacco and vapes is welcomed, but it is just the tip of a huge problem the government can’t seem to grasp’, said Robert Mallett, CEO of the TSBC.
‘The most frustrating aspect of all this is that any reasonable person would expect that it is the Police who would take carriage of illegal activities, but in this case you couldn’t be further from the truth.
‘A mere 6.7FTE employees, domiciled in the Department of Health, are tasked with reining in this burgeoning problem and they aren’t getting anywhere near to slowing it down, let alone stopping it.
The Minister claims that “This backs our nation-leading approach through the Public Health Amendment (Vaping) Bill (2024)” but doesn’t realise nor acknowledge that generations of governments who have tried to introduce prohibition have failed dismally.
‘This measure only increases the opportunities for organised criminal gangs to double down on their efforts to make millions as a result of a flawed model of control.
‘Despite multiple calls identifying outlets for illicit tobacco and vapes to the police, they are hamstrung from taking any action other than informing their Health Department colleagues. A most unsatisfactory situation for a small business person who is having their livelihood stolen from them every single day.
‘When will Ministers of Health, Police, Wellbeing and Justice get together with the industry and genuinely seek to find a real solution?
