Six shops ordered to shut under new illegal tobacco laws

Western Australian authorities have executed a decisive enforcement operation, ordering the closure of six retail outlets and seizing more than 140,000 illicit cigarettes just days after the state’s stringent new tobacco legislation came into effect. This coordinated crackdown marks the first significant application of the enhanced powers granted to health officials and police to dismantle the black market trade.

The seizures come as the Cook Government intensifies its efforts to curb the proliferation of unregulated nicotine products, which have been linked to broader criminal networks. These new regulations provide the state with a robust legal framework to revoke licences and shutter premises suspected of engaging in the distribution of prohibited tobacco items.

“This initial strike serves as a stark warning that the state will no longer tolerate the shadow economy that undermines public health and penalises law-abiding retailers.”

As investigations continue, health officials have indicated that further inspections are imminent across the metropolitan area. The crackdown is expected to be the first of many as the state seeks to reclaim control over a retail sector that has long been plagued by the influx of duty-free and counterfeit stock.