ILLICIT TOBACCO TRADE: AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT’S $156.7 MILLION INITIATIVE

Illicit Tobacco Trade: Australian Government's $156.7 Million Initiative

In March 2025, the Australian federal government committed $156.7 million to combat the growing illicit tobacco trade. The funding is aimed at bolstering law enforcement efforts, including a $49.4 million expansion of the Australian Federal Police's Criminal Assets Confiscation Taskforce, which will focus on criminal groups involved in illegal tobacco activities. Additionally, $7 million will be allocated to the Australian Border Force to implement advanced technologies that enhance border detection capabilities.

The illicit tobacco market is a highly profitable venture for criminal organizations. In the past six months alone, the Australian Border Force has seized over 1.3 billion cigarettes. This initiative is designed to disrupt the operations and financial structures of the criminal networks that profit from this illegal trade.

For more information on this issue, visit ABC News or the Australian Border Force website.