Illegal vape and tobacco shops across NSW are finally being targeted, with the Government today announcing tough new laws after more than a year of pressure from local communities and independent MPs, including Pittwater’s Jacqui Scruby.

The laws introduce some of the strongest penalties in the country, including up to 7 years in jail, million dollar fines, and powers to shut dangerous shops down for up to a year.

Jacqui Scruby MP said the new focus on enforcement is what’s needed to stop the proliferation of tobacconists engaging in illegal trade, an issue which she receives a high volume of constituent concerns about. 

“We can’t have illegal trade, operated by organised crime permitted to operate from local community shopfronts.

“These products are being sold to kids, often in plain sight near schools and parks, and we’ve had no real way to stop it. That’s been both dangerous and absurd,” Ms Scruby said.

“If the government can close a restaurant for being unhygienic it should also close a shopfront for illegal trade facilitating organised crime.”

“This is about health, safety and basic fairness. These stores are selling addictive products to teenagers, avoiding tax, and ignoring every rule in the book, while local businesses doing the right thing are losing trade and are punished for it.”

Ms Scruby has raised the issue in Parliament and in direct meetings with the Health Minister and the Crime Commission, and has worked with parents, schools and community members to map problem areas and escalate action.

In April, Ms Scruby met with a group of residents from Bilgola concerning a tobacconist which was selling illegal products which was reported and has now closed down.

The new laws will allow authorities to shut shops for up to 12 months, introduce major fines and criminal charges, and allow landlords to terminate leases where illegal activity is occurring.

“This is a win for the community. We pushed hard for powers like shop closures and enforcement at the local level because communities like Pittwater have been left to deal with this alone for too long,” Ms Scruby said.

“This is a big win for kids’ health, for local businesses, and for common sense. Now we just need to make sure the laws are used, and that every single illegal shop gets shut down.”