The Australian Border Force (ABF) has stopped almost 400,000 disposable vapes from entering Australia within a week in Sydney, in the largest single 'at border' detection since new legislation was introduced at the beginning of 2024.
Between Monday 20 May and Thursday 23 May 2024, ABF officers at Sydney's Container Examination Facility (CEF) x-rayed three sea cargo consignments and identified anomalies; each consignment had varying declarations of goods – including clothing items, cleaning machinery, cookware, and furniture.
Upon further examination, officers identified approximately 389,880 disposable vapes within the containers, including:
- On Monday 20 May 2024, 37,800 disposable vape products concealed within mixed declared goods;
- Also on Monday, officers identified a second container which on further inspection contained 18 palettes of plastic-wrapped cardboard boxes, with 174,960 disposable vapes inside; and
- On Thursday 23 May 2024, approximately 177,120 disposable vapes were identified throughout an entire third container.
Each of these consignments originated from Asia. The items have been seized and will be destroyed, with investigations into the importation of these goods and their intended destination ongoing.
The total combined estimated street value of the vaping products seized is in excess of $12.47 million.
Thursday's consignment of approximately 177,120 units marks the single-largest 'at border' detection of disposable vapes in Australia since the legislative changes were introduced on 1 January 2024.
ABF Acting Commander Trade East, Asha Patwardhan, said the frequency and significant quantities of vaping products which ABF officers are now intercepting demonstrates how importers are continuing to have a blatant disregard for the new legislation, hoping to evade border controls to bring these prohibited goods into Australia.
“The new border regulations have been in force for five months now, and we are certainly beginning to see the attempted concealments which these organised crime syndicates are employing," Acting Commander Patwardhan said.
“We are also seeing a vast range of vaping products now stopped at the border, from vape liquid and accessories in our international mail facilities, right through to container loads of disposable products on an industrial scale.
“We know the same groups of people profiting from illicit tobacco are also diversifying into the distribution of vaping products.
“These syndicates use the profits of these illicit activities to fund their other criminal ventures, including illicit drug supply – we must target and disrupt all the streams of their business model by stopping and seizing these vaping products.
“It is well established that the vast majority of these disposable vapes contain highly addictive nicotine, despite being branded with fun fruity flavours and colourful packaging making it particularly attractive to a younger market and exposing them to unacceptable health risks.
“The ABF will continue its strong proactive enforcement and disruption efforts to put the health and safety of the Australian community first."
Members of the community are encouraged to report suspicious border-related activity through Border Watch at http://www.abf.gov.au/borderwatch.
By reporting suspicious activities, you help protect Australia's border and the community. Reports can be made anonymously.
Media contact: Australian Border Force (02) 6264 2211
