Tobacco crackdown faces early scrutiny

A local MP remains skeptical a small team of 14 inspectors will not be enough to stamp out illicit tobacco trade which has fuelled violence across the region and the state as new laws come into effect this week. The new Tobacco Licensing Victoria scheme will begin to be enforced from Monday in the state government’s attempt to smoke out illicit tobacco trade. Any person or business selling tobacco who does not have a licence now face penalties, with individual fines set to exceed $170,000 and carry a jail term up to five years, while retailers could face fines of up to $854,000. Anyone found selling illicit tobacco faces fines of almost $370,000 or up to 15 years in jail, while businesses risk fines of more than $1.8 million. A team of 14 inspectors out of the state government’s health department will undertake statewide compliance and enforcement operations to ensure businesses are meeting their licensing obligations – and take strong action against stores breaking the law. But Ovens Valley MP and Shadow Minister for Gaming and Liquor and Consumer Affairs, Tim McCurdy, said he was not convinced the small number of inspectors employed to oversee the new regulations would be enough to stamp out the state’s illicit tobacco trade problem. “When Queensland’s got 200 inspectors and New South Wales has 48 inspectors, I don’t know how they think 14 inspectors is going to cut the mustard,” he said. “To me it’s a really watered down process more like a slap on the wrist with a wet lettuce rather than saying you’re actually going to jail.” Minister for Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation Enver Erdogan, responsible for the tobacco regulation, said inspectors would not hesitate to act on operators who think they can ignore the law. “This scheme gives Victoria Police and other agencies the intelligence and powers they need to crack down on organised crime,” he said. "If you are doing the wrong thing and dealing in illegal tobacco, you will get caught and you will face the toughest penalties in Australia.” By mid-2025 there had been around 125 firebombings of tobacco stores across Victoria linked to an organised crime turf war over control of illicit tobacco trade. Two of those firebombings occurred in Wangaratta and Wodonga in the early hours of 27 July, 2023 A few weeks prior to that incident, Doreen man Ahmad Al Essawi and an unknown co-accused threatened both stores to close or they would be set on fire. A Wangaratta court heard both incidents of extortion were filmed and the videos were distributed in a WhatsApp messenger group, believed to contain members of the criminal syndicate they were serving. Al Essawi was jailed for two years in May, 2025 and it’s believed multiple incidents of the same nature have taken place across the state. Since the scheme started on 1 July 2025, Tobacco Licensing Victoria has received more than 4100 licence applications, with more than 2000 licenses now granted. Mr McCurdy said while it wasn’t known for certain, business estimates say around 10,000 Victorian retailers sell tobacco, which would mean more than half of those businesses have yet to apply for a licence under the scheme. “The next couple of months will be interesting to see how many convictions we get or how many arrests we get,” he said. “What I will be fighting for in the coming months is the laws similar to New South Wales and Queensland, which says if you’re caught selling illicit tobacco today, the inspectors or police can shut you down immediately. “I think that’s where we need to get to in Victoria as well, but we’re not there yet.” Mr McCurdy said the continual rising of the Australian tobacco excise had also fuelled the illicit tobacco market, with estimates in late 2025 indicating the country’s illicit tobacco market had risen from 39pc to 60pc while the federal government’s tobacco excise revenue had more than halved in five years. Under the new scheme, Tobacco Licensing Victoria can suspend or cancel licenses, seize illegal tobacco products and take court action. Victoria Police continue to run intelligence led operations targeting organised crime groups involved in illicit tobacco. The licensing scheme will provide regulatory intelligence to support these broader investigations, enabling police to use their additional powers – including executing warrants and dismantling criminal supply chains – to disrupt illegal activity at every level of the market. For more information or to apply for a tobacco licence, visit vic.gov.au/tobacco-licensing.

Tobacco crackdown faces early scrutiny

A gunshot in the hills: Police “strongly believe” Desmond 'Dezi' Freeman is dead in national park

Fire truck time bomb: Local plea for inquiry into aging fleet

Wangaratta man leaves trail of theft following North East crime spree

"We never rest": behind the lines of Wangaratta CFA's strike team response

Woman arrested after stabbing at Cribbes Road

Rufous Whistler – arrival of a summer songbird

Bombers go back-to-back in A grade

“No stone unturned” – Police committed to the long-haul in manhunt

Start your engines, Wilby Drags are back

Most popular stories