3 weeks ago
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A “confectionery” store opposite a high school north of Brisbane was raided by police within hours of strict new vape and tobacco laws being introduced to state parliament this week.
Investigators descended on the Strathpine Confectionery House at Lincoln Street in Strathpine about 11.30am on Tuesday.
The business – until recently called VIP Tobacco – is about 200 metres from the entrance of Strathpine State School.
Strathpine Confectionary House busted for illegal tobacco in Brisbane.Credit: William Davis
It was ordered to close for three days.
A woman identifying herself as the manager was outside the shuttered shop a day later, telling streams of people it would resume sales as soon as the interim closure order expired on Friday morning.
She said extensive stock was confiscated.
Queensland Health revealed the business was one of nine it raided with police across Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast on Tuesday under Operation Hibiscus, within hours of strict tobacco laws being introduced to state parliament.
“We are committed to dismantling the supply of illegal vaping and tobacco products,” a spokesperson for the Health Department said.
Nearly 600,000 cigarettes, 102 kilograms of loose tobacco, 9600 vapes and 4300 nicotine pouches were confiscated from the nine businesses.
They would not say what was found at Strathpine Confectionery House.
A generic note taped to the roller doors on Wednesday said the business was closed because there was suspicion it was selling illegal products or distributing tobacco without a licence.
The business was closed for three days under an interim closure order by Queensland Health. Credit: William Davis
No charges have been confirmed, with Queensland police directing inquiries to Queensland Health and Queensland Health directing inquiries to police.
Under the proposed new laws, the Health Department would have the power to shut down businesses on the spot for three months, and seize all legal smoking products found alongside illegal merchandise.
Landlords would also be allowed to terminate leases of illegal operators, and could be subject to fines of up to $161,300 and one year behind bars for knowingly allowing operators to sell from their properties.
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“We need to stop this game of whack-a-mole where every time we hit an illegal business, it reopens within days or another springs up in its place,” Health Minister Tim Nicholls said.
“We’re pulling out all stops to help keep our kids safe, hitting illegal sellers harder and closing them for longer, with landlords also held accountable.
“This is about shutting down the criminal illegal tobacco racket which is putting our kids at risk.”
Last year this masthead revealed importers were flooding the Queensland market with more illegal tobacco than before.
Brisbane Times visited 10 convenience stores and tobacconists last year – all openly sold Manchester cigarettes, and many also stocked illegal Chinese brand Double Happiness, Korean brand ESSE, imported Marlboro Reds and Winfield Blues, among others.
Prices ranged from $17 to $25 a packet – about 50 per cent cheaper than most legitimately taxed plain-packaging equivalents.
Some said they were not worried about being caught as they claimed enforcement powers were weak.
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