- Landlords who knowingly lease their premises to illicit tobacco and vape traders will face hefty fines and possible jail time under proposed laws.
- Proposals include increasing interim closure orders from 72-hours to three months, undercover health operations, and the seizure of legal smoking products if found at the same place as illicit products.
- The proposed changes are the toughest in the nation and are open for public consultation until 19 June 2025.
The Crisafulli Government is stepping up its war against illicit tobacco and vape retailers and is going after the landlords who knowingly lease a premises to them.
Under proposed new laws – which would be the toughest in the nation – landlords who are complicit or turn a blind eye to illegal activity will face one year imprisonment, a $161,300 fine, or both.
The Tobacco and Other Smoking Products and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025 proposes a suite of reforms to tackle the scourge of illicit tobacco and vapes in Queensland.
The most significant reforms in the Bill will:
- extend 'interim' closure periods for non-compliant businesses from 72-hours to three months;
- give lessors the right to terminate a lease if their tenant has triggered a closure order through illegal activity;
- introduce a new offence for lessors who knowingly allow their premises to be used for the supply and commercial possession of illicit tobacco and vapes;
- allow undercover operations to support Queensland Health's covert investigations; and
- include a new power to seize and destroy all legal smoking products that have been 'compromised' by being sold alongside illicit tobacco and vapes.
Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Tim Nicholls said illegal traders and their landlords were being put on notice.
"Labor allowed illegal chop shops to pop up across our state but the Crisafulli Government has zero tolerance for traders of illicit tobacco and vapes," Minister Nicholls said.
"Under these proposed laws, illegal traders will face the toughest laws in the nation.
"We're also targeting landlords who are complicit in, or turn a blind eye on, illegal activity occurring in their premises.
"We will empower landlords with a statutory right to terminate a lease if their tenant has triggered a closure order through illegal activity.
"Any landlords who don't use this termination right to kick out their dodgy tenants will be considered complicit and will face hefty fines and possible jail time."
Minister Nicholls said these proposed laws follow 'Operational Appaloosa' – the nation's largest-ever seizure of illicit tobacco and vapes in a single operation led by a health authority in Australia.
"Despite all our recent progress, the illegal trade remains deeply entrenched," Minister Nicholls said.
"This is because the profits simply outweigh risk of enforcement and the current laws limit enforcement responsiveness by being too onerous or relying on prosecution through the courts.
"These new laws, released for public consultation today, will help fix this."
In March 2025, Operation Appaloosa raided more than 30 locations and seized more than 76,000 vapes, 19 million illicit cigarettes and 3.6 tonnes of loose illicit tobacco with a combined estimated street value of $20.8 million.
On 3 April 2025, the nation's toughest on-the-spot fines for the sale of illicit tobacco and vapes came into effect, leading to $5,094,560 in fines the first week alone compared to less than $250,000 in fines per week under Labor.
Consultation on the Tobacco and Other Smoking Products and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025 is open until 20 June 2025.
