Illegal tobacco increasingly hard to spot, with some fakes featuring Australian health warnings
The Australian government is facing challenges with illegal tobacco imports, as criminal syndicates increasingly use sophisticated counterfeit packaging that mimics legal Australian health warnings. Officials are pushing for new legislation to grant law enforcement greater powers to disrupt these illicit trade lines.
Why it matters
The rise of high-quality counterfeit tobacco undermines public health regulations and tax revenue, necessitating updated legal frameworks to combat organized crime.
Cigarettes in Australian-style packaging are being created at factories in Cambodia, according to intelligence provided to the federal government. Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA Cigarettes in Australian-style packaging are being created at factories in Cambodia, according to intelligence provided to the federal government. Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA Australia news Illegal tobacco increasingly hard to spot, with some fakes featuring Australian health warnings Government warned that counterfeit tobacco produced by criminal organisations in south-east Asia is becoming more sophisticated
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Prefer the Guardian on Google The black-market tobacco trade continues to thrive as sellers turn to counterfeit packaging to skirt bans, prompting calls for the urgent passing of tougher laws.
Intelligence provided to the federal government shows cigarettes in plain Australian-style packaging are being produced illegally at an industrial scale in south-east Asian warehouses.
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