Australia: After Queensland Cracked Down On E-cigarettes, Black Market Vendors Shifted To Online Delivery.
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According to the official website of Australian news:
Less than two weeks after several tobacco shops suspected of selling illegal e-cigarettes were raided and closed in Queensland, at least one supplier quickly shifted their business online.
On Gold Coast, paper flyers without the names of the merchants were pasted on the utility poles, promoting the same-day delivery of illegal e-cigarettes, tobacco, and nicotine pouches. The QR code on the flyers linked to a website, where the flavors of the e-cigarettes sold included "Strawberry Kiwi", "Blackberry Ice", etc.
The QR code also linked to an encrypted instant messaging application and a chat room with over 300 members. In the chat group seen by ABC, the suppliers interacted with customers and updated that orders would be delivered within 24 hours. The prices of the e-cigarettes ranged from 20 to 60 Australian dollars, and an additional 20 Australian dollars was required for same-day delivery.
The tobacco crackdown law passed by the Queensland Parliament last month allows the state health department and police to close tobacco and e-cigarette shops selling illegal cigarettes and e-cigarettes for up to three months. Previously, health officials could only close the shops for up to 72 hours.
If commercial landlords knew that tenants were selling illegal tobacco and nicotine products, they are now considered a criminal offense.
A spokesperson for the Queensland Department of Health told ABC that Queensland has "the strictest laws in the country" and is monitoring and investigating various illegal supply methods, including the sale of illegal products outside retail stores.







