Today (November 26) the Australian Broadcasting Corporation published a report titled “Why convenience stores along Fremantle cafe strip are the front line of WA’s illegal tobacco trade,” spotlighting how Fremantle’s well-known “cappuccino strip” has quietly become a center for illicit tobacco sales. Dozens of convenience stores are allegedly selling unlicensed cigarettes and loose tobacco, the story says.

Inside, the outlets look much the same: bare shelves, with the products that actually keep the business afloat—unlicensed cigarettes and loose tobacco—stashed in cabinets or under counters. Despite concern from the community, Western Australian authorities currently lack the legal power to immediately close offenders, allowing the trade to operate openly.

The Australian Council on Smoking and Health (ACOSH) has long pushed for updated laws, pointing to South Australia and Queensland where tougher enforcement and heavy fines have reduced illicit sales. ACOSH chief Laura Hunter called the situation an enforcement problem rather than a tax issue.

WA Health reports nearly one million cigarettes and 160 kg of loose tobacco seized in the past two years, though those seizures are small compared with federal-level busts. Nationally, tobacco excise revenue has slid from A$16 billion in 2019 to A$7.4 billion this year, and major retailers such as Coles and Woolworths have lost more than half their tobacco revenue—changes that industry observers say have left room for criminal operators.

Local officials are weighing options. Fremantle Mayor Ben Lawver noted there are 16 convenience-style shops in the CBD and said the council is considering rezoning them as discretionary uses, which would give it more control over new openings.

For now, with limited state resources and legal tools, the illicit tobacco trade continues to thrive, the ABC story concluded.

This article was adapted from an original report published on tobaccoreporter.com. All rights belong to the original publisher.