NSW Health led a crackdown that closed a store and nine other retailers over two days, seizing 420,000 illicit cigarettes, 60 kg of loose-leaf tobacco, and more than 4,000 illicit vapes with an estimated street value around $600,000.

The operation was part of a broader enforcement push targeting illicit tobacco, with inspectors shutting down multiple retailers selling illegal products.

Public health experts clash with tax policy advocates on long-term solutions, with some arguing that simply lowering prices won’t eliminate illicit products.

Officials remain divided on how to curb illicit tobacco in the long term, with some warning that reducing taxes could undermine public health goals.

Authorities are reviewing potential breaches of planning legislation, and closure orders may extend to selling illicit tobacco or vaping goods or operating without proper licensing.

NSW Health Minister Ryan Park linked ongoing closures to the high federal tobacco excise, describing the issue as a persistent ‘whack-a-mole’ problem where illegal Tobacconists re-emerge under new names.