The Albanese Labor Government has today announced the establishment of the Illicit Tobacco National Disruption Group to strengthen Australia's fight against criminals in the illicit tobacco market.
Led by the Australian Border Force, the Group will represent a new era in illicit tobacco enforcement by partnering with traditional and non-traditional federal, state and territory partners, to disrupt mid-level criminals and enablers operating in the illicit tobacco trade.
The Group will include all state and territory police forces as well as Australian Federal Police, the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, AUSTRAC, the Department of Home Affairs, the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing (including the Therapeutic Goods Administration), the Australian Tax Office, the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Illicit Tobacco and E-Cigarette Commission and Services Australia.
It will also be collaborating with state and territory law enforcement and regulators to ensure a nationally coordinated response.
The National Disruption Group has been established using part of the $188.5 million provided to the ABF to combat illicit tobacco.
The innovative operating model will harness the unique enforcement and intelligence powers of the partners to break the business model of the illicit tobacco and vape trade.
Working alongside the successful ABF-led Illicit Tobacco Taskforce, it will target mid-level criminals and enablers operating within small business, intermediaries and sole traders who import, distribute or sell illegal tobacco.
Furthermore, it will target the sale of illicit tobacco at the consumer level, which will complement the work of local police to respond to non-organised illicit tobacco crime.
Agencies within the Group will use the full suite of government capabilities - legislative, regulatory, intelligence and enforcement - to creatively and strategically target those profiting from illicit tobacco and vapes.
Successful investigations will eliminate profit incentives by making the market economically unsustainable for operators, protect community health by reducing the availability of unregulated tobacco products and recover government revenue lost to the illicit trade.
Since 2024, The Albanese Labor Government has invested more than $350 million in the fight against illicit tobacco, vapes and nicotine products.
Attributable to the Minister for Home Affairs Tony Burke:
"This is a first-of-its-kind whole-of-government response, demonstrating the Albanese Labor Government's commitment to combatting the trade of illicit tobacco and protecting the Australian community at all levels of the supply chain.
"In addition to joining forces with federal agencies, we have also harnessed the powers of state and territory agencies to fight the illegal tobacco trade at the border, the warehouse and retail environment.
"Our message is clear: if you profit from illicit tobacco in Australia, you are operating illegally, and you will be the target of the Illicit Tobacco National Disruption Group."
