The Australian government has announced the formation of a National Disruption Group aimed at dismantling the growing black market for tobacco. This effort will help address the violence and lawlessness that have surged with the illegal tobacco market. It especially pays attention to the bush regions of Victoria and New South Wales. Tony Burke, the new Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, explicitly highlighted the tragic impact of turf battles between criminal syndicates. These disputes have resulted in shocking acts of violence and arson.
To address this pressing issue, the government has allocated a total of $350 million since early last year to combat the illicit tobacco trade. Responding to the crisis, Health Minister Mark Butler admitted that the issue had “exploded” into the biggest public health emergency confronting Australia. Our own government is making important commitments to combating this illegal trade. They are increasing funding to the Australian Border Force by $188.5 million – a doubling of their current efforts to intercept illegal tobacco at the border.
Rising Violence Linked to Tobacco Trade
Burke focused on the shocking effects of violent gang crime connected to the tobacco underground economy. He added that turf wars between these cartels have resulted in violent gun battles and targeted arson strikes. The problematic situation has triggered an unprecedented response from law enforcement and public health officials across the country.
“To do this, it’s not only the interception and the good work that Border Force do intercepting containers at the border and intercepting illegal tobacco at the airport,” – Tony Burke
Burke went on to elaborate why it’s critical that we take a multi-faceted approach to addressing this growing problem. He reiterated that in order to solve this issue, we need to focus on serious interception measures at the border. On top of that, we need a really careful look at what happens before and after products enter Australia.
Comprehensive Strategy Against Illicit Tobacco
The government’s plan should tackle every facet of the illegal tobacco supply chain. Burke highlighted the need to have a clear picture of what happens before illegal tobacco enters Australia. He emphasized the importance of looking at where these products are stored in warehouses and where the dollars circulate within the various organizations.
“We also need to look at what happens before it reaches the border, what happens post-border, what happens at the warehouse level, and what happens in terms of the flow of funds for these organisations as well,” – Tony Burke
This multi-pronged approach dovetails with Butler’s statement that the scope of the danger illicit tobacco poses is broad. Second, as an important dimension of the government’s public health commitment, officials understand that these flavors cannot be addressed one at a time.
Convergence of Threats
The government’s new initiative highlights a concerning trend: the convergence of organized crime activities, including antisemitic attacks linked to Iranian orchestrated operations in Australia. Burke further explained that the underground tobacco market feeds into the proliferation of other community safety menaces, such as human trafficking and gun violence.
“If there is a convergence of threats, there needs to be a convergence of protection,” – Tony Burke
This proclamation highlights the federal government’s motivation to centralize police efforts across agencies in order to combat these interwoven problems.
