St Leonards tobacconists targeted in illegal tobacco and vape crackdown

5 November 2025

Two St Leonards retailers have become the first to be shut down under the NSW government’s new laws targeting illicit tobacco and vaping sales.

NSW Health inspectors, supported by NSW Police, raided the TSG store at 201 Pacific Highway and the St Leonard Tobacconist at 16 Pacific Highway, ordering both to close for 90 days. The raids resulted in the seizure of 3,860 illicit cigarettes and 224 illegal vapes, with further investigations underway that could lead to prosecution.

The new laws give NSW Health expanded powers to issue short-term closure orders of up to 90 days for premises found selling illicit tobacco or vaping products, or operating without a valid licence. The Local Court can also impose long-term closure orders of up to 12 months on application by the NSW Health Secretary following confirmed breaches.

Individuals selling without a licence face fines of up to $660,000, while corporations can be penalised up to $880,000. Penalties for illicit tobacco sales have also been strengthened, with a new offence introduced for the commercial possession of such products carrying maximum penalties of $1.54 million, seven years’ imprisonment, or both.

Between January 1 and October 27 this year, NSW Health inspectors carried out 1,260 similar inspections across the state, seizing more than 11.8 million cigarettes, 2,000kg of other illicit tobacco products and about 170,000 illegal vapes, with an estimated street value of $18.9 million.