Episode Details

Victorian authorities gain robust new powers to shut down illegal smoke shops and hold landlords accountable, marking Australias strictest laws against illicit tobacco. The state government introduces hefty fines and immediate lease termination for landlords renting to dodgy operators. The new regulator, Tobacco Licensing Victoria, seizes nearly five million dollars worth of illegal stock in just four weeks, including over three million cigarettes, cigars, and kilos of loose tobacco and shisha. The black market controls up to sixty percent of all cigarettes sold in Australia, fueling organized crime groups and rival gangs in Melbourne. The tougher enforcement should benefit legal tobacco sellers struggling to compete with cheaper illegal packs.

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