Victoria
Victoria police shut down four regional illicit tobacco stores
Victorian authorities have shut down four regional stores suspected of selling illicit tobacco under new enforcement powers.
Victorian authorities have executed a series of raids in regional Victoria, closing four retail outlets suspected of selling illicit tobacco. The coordinated operation marks the first time enforcement agencies have used the state's newly legislated powers to shut down businesses suspected of participating in the black market tobacco trade.
The joint operation was conducted by Victoria Police alongside the newly established regulator, Tobacco Licensing Victoria, according to reporting by wire services. Officers targeted the country Victorian premises after receiving information linking them to the sale of unregulated tobacco products.
Under the new regulatory framework, authorities have the power to immediately shut down businesses suspected of selling illicit tobacco products without waiting for a lengthy court process. Specific details regarding the exact locations of the four country stores, the names of the retail outlets involved, and whether any business owners or staff have been charged have not yet been publicly released.
The state government introduced the tougher legislation earlier this year to combat a surge in illicit tobacco distribution, which has been linked to organised crime syndicates and a series of violent attacks, including firebombings across Melbourne and regional areas. The new laws aim to disrupt the financial incentives of the trade by directly targeting retail distribution points.
Further details regarding the quantity of illicit goods seized during the raids have not been confirmed by police.
Observers will now be watching to see how the state government and police deploy these new powers in metropolitan Melbourne, where firebombings and retail disputes have been most concentrated.
This report draws on original reporting by Wire report.
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