Victoria’s crackdown on illicit tobacco has intensified across Melbourne’s western suburbs, with stores ordered shut and two men now facing court over an alleged carpark tobacco and vape operation in Werribee.
The enforcement campaign has gathered pace since new closure powers took effect on 9 September, giving Victoria Police and Tobacco Licensing Victoria greater authority to immediately disrupt businesses suspected of dealing in illicit tobacco.
By 7 October, police and TLV had closed 61 stores linked by authorities to organised crime after illicit tobacco was detected, including premises in Footscray, Deer Park and Werribee.
The scale of the operation has continued to grow. Victoria’s official tobacco closure register recorded 88 closure notices and orders issued between 9 September and 13 October, covering businesses across metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria.
Under the new powers, police and TLV can issue short-term closure notices lasting up to 90 days where illicit tobacco is being sold, supplied or possessed, with the measures applying to both licensed and unlicensed premises.
In the first four weeks of the crackdown alone, authorities seized more than two million illicit cigarettes, more than 40,000 vapes, more than 120 kilograms of loose tobacco and more than $500,000 in cash.
The western suburbs have been a significant focus of that enforcement activity, with closures recorded in Footscray, Deer Park, Hoppers Crossing, Tarneit and other areas as authorities target the retail end of Victoria’s illicit tobacco market.
That broader operation has now been followed by another case in Werribee, where two men were arrested after police allegedly found them selling vapes and cigarettes from a carpark on Friday 16 October.
Police responded to reports of the alleged sales at the corner of Tarneit Road and Shaws Road about 11.45am, before arresting two men aged 18 and 20 and seizing vapes and cigarettes from a vehicle.
The pair were charged with possess proceeds of crime and possession of a commercial quantity of illicit tobacco and were granted bail to appear before the Wyndham Law Courts on Thursday 10 December 2026.
The allegations have not been tested in court.
The Werribee arrests add to a series of investigations in Melbourne’s west as police increasingly target both the sale of illicit tobacco and the money authorities allege is generated by the trade.
In August, a multi-agency investigation led to arrests and searches in Hoppers Crossing and Tasmania over the alleged movement of criminal proceeds linked to illicit tobacco between the two states.
Authorities seized more than $2.5 million worth of tobacco products and more than $1 million in cash during that operation, along with silver, gold, firearms, ammunition, a cash-counting machine and mobile devices.
A 33-year-old Hoppers Crossing man and a 22-year-old Sorell man were charged with knowingly dealing with proceeds of crime and recklessly dealing with proceeds of crime, while a second Hoppers Crossing man, aged 37, was arrested and later released.
Victoria Police established its VIPER Taskforce to target illicit tobacco stores connected to organised crime, including syndicates police say are controlled by figures operating offshore.
VIPER Taskforce Detective Inspector Anthony Gasparini said organised criminals are only driven by greed and have no regard for the harm they cause.
“There is no doubt these profits derived from the sale of illicit tobacco would be used to fund further criminal activities,” Detective Inspector Gasparini said.
“Alongside our partner agencies, we will continue removing their ill-gotten gains and dismantle their ability to create further opportunities to cause harm.
“We will deploy resources throughout the state at short notice including outside of business hours and on weekends. If you’re selling illicit tobacco, you can expect to see our VIPER members or our partner agencies come through your door.”
The closure powers have given police and regulators another way to disrupt suspected illicit tobacco operations without waiting for lengthy criminal proceedings to conclude.
A short-term closure can remain in force for up to 90 days, while Victoria Police can also apply to the Magistrates’ Court for longer-term closure orders. Significant penalties can apply to people who breach the restrictions placed on closed premises.
Tobacco Licensing Victoria chief operating officer Bree Oliver says the crackdown was far from over.
“Tobacco Licensing Victoria continues to monitor and adapt, working closely with Victoria Police, broader law enforcement agencies and regulatory partners to share information and intelligence and target illicit tobacco,” Ms Oliver said.
“All our inspection and enforcement action is guided by intelligence, risk assessment and operational priorities.”
The growing cost of disposable vapes also shows how lucrative the market has become, with devices now commonly selling for between $33 and $65 depending on their capacity, brand and source.
Some sellers also appear to be changing how they store stock, with observations uncovering bulk supplies were sometimes kept offsite or in nearby parked vehicles before runners delivered vapes to stores when customers requested them.
Buyers were also found being charged an additional $5 when paying by card rather than cash, adding a further premium to the already high price of a single disposable vape and increasing the overall cost for customers using electronic payments.
The pricing practice has taken on new significance since card surcharges were removed across Australia from October 1, with businesses generally not permitted to impose an extra fee simply because a customer pays using eftpos, Mastercard or Visa.
With dozens of premises already ordered closed and further investigations continuing, the latest Werribee arrests show the enforcement effort is extending beyond storefronts to alleged street-level and mobile sales.
Across Melbourne the growing number of closures, seizures and arrests reveals the scale of the illicit tobacco market authorities are trying to dismantle, along with the evasive tactics sellers and stores are using to keep sales flowing and stock moving.
