Authorities seize $11m of illegal vapes at Australian border

Over 35 tonnes of vapes, suspected to contain nicotine and estimated to be worth approximately $11 million, have been seized by authorities across Australia.

A collaborative operation led by Australian Border Force (ABF) and the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) to crack down on the import of illegal vapes uncovered large shipments entering New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and Victoria by air cargo and international mail.

The TGA estimates that 92 per cent of the vapes, approximately 376,000, were falsely labelled as being nicotine-free.

Tests by the TGA on 287 samples found that 85 per cent did, in fact, contain nicotine.

Furthermore, at least 60 per cent of the vapes seized were from brands already identified as being in breach of the minimum safety and quality standards for nicotine vapes.

A Department of Health and Aged Care study conducted in March found that 34 per cent of vape users in Australia were under the age of 25.

Furthermore, roughly one-in-six 14- to 17-year-olds reported having used vapes at least once.

Health Minister Mark Butler said that a meeting between Australia’s health and police ministers would take place later this month in attempt to develop a single regulatory framework to remove vapes from the market.

“Vaping was never intended to be a recreational product,” said Butler.

“It was always sold as a therapeutic product for hardened smokers, not a recreational product that would get our kids hooked to nicotine.

“Instead, what we see is these things being sold right through the community to young people.

“We hear stories right now, as Year 12s are doing exams, of Year 12s having to put nicotine patches on to get through an exam without taking a vape.

“This is simply not acceptable to governments across the country, we’re determined to stamp this out.”

The illegal importation of vapes carries a jail sentence of up to five years and a fine of $1.25 million.