Did you know the illicit cigarettes seized in Queensland in 2024 , lined up end-to-end, would stretch all the way from Brisbane to Airlie Beach?
This massive haul of more than 17 million illicit cigarettes alongside 5.4 tonnes of loose tobacco – roughly the weight of an elephant - and 117,500 vaping products that could fill the Gabba Stadium three times over is worth more than $22 million.
During that time, more than 700 on the spot fines, also known as penalty infringement notices (PINs), were issued for illicit tobacco valued at more than $8.4 million.
And that’s not all, this year alone up to the end of May, more than 32 million illicit cigarettes, 4.1 tonnes of loose tobacco, and 201,000 vaping goods collectively worth over $38.2 million have been seized across Queensland.
This resulted in more than 464 PINs issued for either supply or possession of illicit tobacco or illicit nicotine products totalling over $12 million.
That’s thanks to the work of Queensland Health’s public health enforcement officers, in conjunction with local and federal authorities, who are increasingly cracking down on the supply and possession of illicit tobacco and vaping products backed by strict laws.
They are doing this to combat the black-market trade, often linked to organised crime, and ultimately protecting public health.
We know that tobacco use is one of the leading preventable causes of death and disease in Australia. There are many serious health risks involved in smoking, including links to various cancers and conditions.
By stopping the sale of millions of these illegal products and increasing penalties for offenders, we are disrupting illegal trade and protecting Queenslanders, especially young people, from the enormous harm these products cause.
Here are some facts about the fight against illicit tobacco and vaping products and the role of Queensland Health in combatting the black-market trade.
Why is Queensland Health clamping down on illicit tobacco and vapes?
The black market in illicit tobacco and vapes is likely to undo the successful work Queensland has done to curb the smoking rate and decrease preventable disease and death.
Currently, the daily smoking rate among Queenslanders is just under nine per cent – down from 24 per cent in 1998 when our state tobacco laws commenced.
These important gains are threatened by the increased availability of cheap illicit tobacco and vaping devices.
In Australia:
- up to two-thirds of deaths in current smokers can be attributed to tobacco use
- current smokers develop age-related diseases and die on average 10 years earlier than adults who have never smoked.
Not only can tobacco use be life limiting, but it also creates a significant burden on the health system, including hospitalisations.
The news is also concerning regarding vaping products, with vapes often linked to an increasing range of health concerns. Also, vaping very often leads to tobacco smoking.
Queensland vaping stats:
- Vaping rates among Queensland high school students tripled from 2017 to 2023.
- Latest available data shows that in 2022-23, more than 1 in 10 Queensland high school students had smoked tobacco in the previous 12 months, with nearly three per cent smoking tobacco in the past week.
- The proportion of adults who use e-cigarettes also increased fourfold from 2018 to 2024, with vaping daily increasing by 5.9 times.
What are the health risks of tobacco and vaping?
Nicotine is a highly addictive and toxic drug in tobacco that can harm brain development in young people and impact attention, learning, memory and changes in mood.
Smoking is also responsible for some types of heart disease, cerebrovascular disease and lung cancer, which are diseases that have caused the most deaths in Australia.
About 80 per cent of all lung cancer deaths and 20 per cent of all cancer deaths are attributable to smoking. Smoking has also been linked to cancers of the mouth, bladder, kidney, stomach and cervix.
Smokers are also at increased risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and reduced lung function.
Tobacco use has been linked to a variety of other conditions, such as diabetes, peptic ulcers, some vision problems, and back pain.
While many people believe vaping is safe compared with smoking tobacco – the truth is these products also present serious harms to health.
Vapes include toxic chemicals, which may include formaldehyde (often found in products like floor cleaner) and heavy metals, as well as a range of other dangerous ingredients.
Vapes are also often incorrectly labelled so you don’t know what the ingredients are and what chemicals you’re putting into your body.
While the long-term effects are still being looked at given vapes are relatively a new trend over the past decade, we do know that many of the chemicals in vapes have been known to cause damage to your lungs and various cancers over time.
What is illicit tobacco?
In Queensland illicit tobacco includes a tobacco product that does not comply with plain packaging, health warning requirements, or any other requirements under Commonwealth law.
All tobacco is very harmful to health however there have been reports that some illicit tobacco products also contain mould and other harmful additions.
A commercial quantity for illicit tobacco is a minimum of 50 cigarettes or 50 grams of other tobacco products.
It is illegal to supply, store or possess commercial quantities of illicit tobacco in Queensland under the Tobacco and Other Smoking Products Act 1998.
What is a vaping product?
Vaping products typically include a battery, heating element and a cartridge or refillable tank containing liquid.
They can be filled with toxic chemicals that can harm your health from shortness of breath to causing permanent scarring of the lungs.
Many vaping products have been found to have nicotine despite being labelled as nicotine-free.
Are all vaping products illegal, or is it just ones that contain nicotine?
Since 1 July 2024, all vapes and vaping products, regardless of whether they contain nicotine or not, can only be sold in a pharmacy for the purpose of helping people quit smoking or manage nicotine dependence. They are available in limited flavours of mint, tobacco and menthol. Vapes supplied in pharmacies must also comply with safety standards.
It is illegal for any other business, such as tobacconists, vape shops and convenience stores, to sell any type of vape or vape product.
The importation, domestic manufacture, supply, commercial possession and advertisement of disposable single use and non-therapeutic vapes is illegal.
What are the laws relating to the supply, sale and promotion of smoking and smoking related products?
Requirements regarding the supply, sale and promotion of smoking and smoking related products in Queensland include:
- smoking products cannot be sold to children (under 18)
- illicit tobacco cannot be supplied or stored at a business
- bans on display and strict requirements for storage of smoking products at retail stores, for example, smoking products must be kept out of sight of customers
- only one point of sale
- smoking product advertising, competitions, giveaways or entitlements is not allowed.
- All tobacco products sold in Australia must be in plain packaging. They must be packaged:
- in a certain colour
- with brand names shown in certain ways
- with required text and graphic health warnings
- without logos, brand images or promotional text.
Additionally, retailers and wholesalers of smoking products are required to have an approved licence with a copy displayed in store, and tobacco vending machines must be in staff-only areas at liquor licensed premises.
Under current laws, children cannot be employed to supply or handle smoking products, however small businesses with less than 20 staff have until 1 September 2025 to comply with this requirement.
All tobacco products sold in Australia must be in plain packaging. They must be packaged:
- in a certain colour
- with brand names shown in certain ways
- with required text and graphic health warnings
- without logos, brand images or promotional text.
What enforcement activities does Queensland Health undertake?
The laws under the Tobacco and Other Smoking Products Act 1998 are monitored and enforced by Queensland Health environmental health officers and compliance officers.
Their work involves visiting stores to ensure they are compliant and seizing any illegal products if required.
Officers also provide advice and education, respond to possible breaches of the law, issue warnings and on-the-spot fines (PINs) and pursue court proceedings where appropriate.
Continued enforcement action is already showing signs of disrupting the supply of illegal vapes at retail stores, with less items being held in-store, lower seizure quantities, price increases, and the closure of vape-only retailers.
Does Queensland Health work alone?
Disrupting or dismantling the supply of illicit tobacco and vapes is a multi-agency effort led by the Australian Government’s Illicit Tobacco and E-cigarette Commissioner and involves both state and federal agencies.
That’s because illicit tobacco or vaping products can be seized at the border before it even enters Australia, while en route to businesses, or at tobacco retailers.
Queensland Health routinely undertakes activities at tobacco retailers to ensure compliance with the Act, which includes inspections or investigating complaints.
Sometimes these activities will be joint investigations and involve other agencies, such as Queensland Police Service, Therapeutic Goods Administration, Australian Border Force and Australian Federal Police.
What happens during an inspection?
Our compliance team regularly undertakes inspections of tobacco stores.
These inspections may be routine or undertaken as a result of intelligence information or complaints.
During these inspections, our enforcement officers are looking for any evidence of breaches of the law and take appropriate enforcement action. This could include seizing items deemed to be illegal under the law.
Our officers can also issue on the spot fines during inspections.
What types of products do we seize?
We seize the following:
- Illicit cigarettes and loose tobacco
- Illicit vapes
- Nicotine pouches
- Bongs
- Ice pipes
What is the biggest seizure to date?
Operation Appaloosa in March 2025 saw a record-breaking seizure of more than 76,000 vapes, 19 million illicit cigarettes and 3.6 tonnes of loose illicit tobacco – with a combined estimated street value of $20.8 million.
This is thought to be the largest seizure ever by a health authority in the country.
The operation occurred in various locations across Central Queensland, Wide Bay, Metro North, Metro South, and West Moreton regions, supported by the Queensland Police Service and the Therapeutic Goods Administration.
What are the fines relating to supply/possession of illicit tobacco/vapes?
Recent changes made under the Tobacco and Other Smoking Products and Other Legislation Amendment Regulation 2025 has seen the start of significantly larger on-the-spot fines.
Queensland now has the highest fines in the nation for illicit supply and possession of illicit tobacco and vapes.
And for the first time, on-the-spot fines can be issued for the commercial supply of vapes and nicotine pouches (often known as zyn).
For individuals, fines can be issued up to $32,260 for the commercial supply of illicit tobacco and nicotine products. Corporations face penalties of up to $161,300.
Fines can also be issued for commercial possession of illicit tobacco and nicotine products. These fines are $16,130 for an individual and $80,650 for a corporation.
Additionally, court ordered penalties can be enforced. This includes two years’ imprisonment and/or fines of up to $322,600 for individuals or $1.6 million for a corporation for supply and position.
How many fines have we issued?
Between 1 July 2024 and 31 May 2025, 819 penalty infringement notices (PINS) issued for supply and possession of illicit products, with a value of more than $10.7 million.
Queensland Health also has the authority to issue an interim closure order for up to 72 hours and up to six months under a court order where there is evidence of either unlicensed or continued illicit tobacco or vape supply.
More than 121 interim closure orders have been issued across Queensland since September 2024 when the commencement of powers for closures began.
How many closure orders have been issued?
Queensland Health also has the authority to issue an interim closure order for up to 72 hours and up to six months under a court order where there is evidence of either unlicensed or continued illicit tobacco or vape supply.
More than 121 interim closure orders have been issued across Queensland since September 2024 when the commencement of powers for closures began.
What should people do if they suspect tobacco stores to be breaking the law?
Suspicions about the sale of illegal tobacco and nicotine products can be reported to Queensland Health for investigation by calling 13 QGOV (13 74 68) or online.