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The Australian Border Force (ABF) has intercepted almost a kilotonne of illicit tobacco, and over 4 million vapes across the border continuum in four months following the commencement of Operation PRINTWALL.
ABF's expanded reach, strengthened controls and flexible partnerships approach has delivered extraordinary detections, choking the illicit tobacco and vape trade.
Launched in December 2025, Operation PRINTWALL has significantly boosted the interception of illicit tobacco offshore at the Australian border and within the community - further reducing illicit tobacco stocks and breaking the business model of the criminal syndicates that are profiting from it.
Between 1 December 2025 and 31 March 2026, the ABF stripped an unprecedented amount of illicit tobacco and vapes from the supply chain, including 998.5 tonnes of illicit cigarettes and loose-leaf tobacco, nearly three-quarters of which were detected both at and within the NSW border alone.
Pre-border (offshore)
Growing trust, deepened collaboration and an expanding global alliance with international partners are enabling the ABF to disrupt illicit tobacco at scale, stopping it offshore before it reaches Australian communities.
Between 1 December 2025 to 31 March 2026, ABF worked closely with international partners to prevent over:
- 35.6 million cigarette sticks, 257.4 kgs of loose-leaf tobacco (representing a total of 26.5 tonnes of illicit tobacco), and 500,000 vapes from entering Australia.
At the Australian border
Between 1 December 2025 and 31 March 2026, the ABF's highly skilled officers leveraged their experience, intelligence and operational expertise at the border to:
- Detect more than 786 million illicit cigarettes and more than 347 tonnes of loose-leaf tobacco (representing a total of over 937 tonnes of illicit tobacco), with a combined duty evaded of over AUD $ 2 billion and;
- Detect more than 3.6 million vapes
In just two days in January, officers seized more than 210,000 vapes in NSW through air cargo consignments from China. Soon after, a shipping container described to contain yoga mats and eye masks was targeted for examination in NSW, where officers found over 9.9 tonnes of loose-leaf tobacco concealed in the consignment.
In Victoria, ABF officers selected three female passengers for a baggage examination after they arrived on an international flight from Bali, with subsequent examinations revealing they attempted to smuggle in a total of 160kg of loose-leaf tobacco in their suitcases. The tobacco was seized by the ABF, and all three women are expected to be charged with Customs Act offences and face prosecution through the courts.
In Queensland, ABF officers weren't fooled by a wall of toilet paper and seized over five million illicit cigarettes hidden behind it in a shipping container arriving from China.
Post-Border (Domestic Operations)
The ABF has built and expanded trusted partnerships with traditional and non‑traditional agencies, enabling a coordinated, multi‑agency response to serious organised crime and domestic enforcement. Between 1 December 2025 and 31 March 2026, the ABF has:
- Detected over 20.6 million illicit cigarettes and over 19.5 tonnes of loose-leaf tobacco (representing a total of 35 tonnes of illicit tobacco) and over 10,000 vapes
- Arrested two individuals (in QLD and WA) for illicit tobacco-related offences
This included 10 illicit tobacco operations in Western Australia, where a targeted warrant at a freight forwarding company in Malaga and Welshpool netted over 390,000 illicit cigarettes, over 50 kg of tobacco and over 4,390 vapes.
ABF Assistant Commissioner Tony Smith said ABF teams around the country were targeting more shipping containers, inspecting more air cargo consignments, searching more international travelers suspected of carrying illicit tobacco, and conducting more domestic warrants than ever before.
“The total haul of 998.5 tonnes of illicit tobacco is so vast, that if the cigarettes seized were laid end to end, they would stretch 71,599 kilometers - almost enough to wrap around the earth twice," Assistant Commissioner Smith said.
“Since the commencement of PRINTWALL, the ABF's work has stripped product from the supply chain, increased risk for criminal operators, and placed tangible pressure on the illicit trade's economics nationwide.
“These results have not only reduced the amount of product available for circulation but has dealt blows to the domestic black market, the supply chains across the border continuum, and the criminal operators behind them.
“The ABF is committed to working with our partner agencies, here and overseas, to protect the Australian border and keep Australians safe - this includes stopping illicit tobacco offshore before it gets to our shores, at our border, and domestically.
“Thanks to our increased focus across the entire border continuum, we increasing our detections and seizures, and blocking both the criminals and the enablers in the illicit tobacco trade."
Anyone with information about the importation of illicit tobacco or cigarettes should contact Border Watch at abf.gov.au/borderwatch. By reporting suspicious activities, you help protect Australia's border and the community. Information can be provided anonymously.
Media contact: media@abf.gov.au
