Melbourne, Australia – In a significant blow to the illegal e-cigarette market, Victorian police have seized approximately 200,000 vapes valued at $8 million from a warehouse in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs. The discovery was made following an early morning break-in at the property on Middleborough Road, Box Hill South.
Police were called to the scene after a commercial robbery was reported at 4:00 a.m. on Thursday. Upon arrival, officers uncovered over 1,000 boxes containing illegal e-cigarettes. The total estimated value of the illicit goods is $8 million.
In a statement issued on Saturday, police confirmed that they had contacted the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), which will lead the investigation as possession of commercial quantities of illegal vapes is a federal offence in Australia. Footage of the operation shows authorities using forklifts to transport pallets of e-cigarettes, many of which were labeled with flavors such as “Apple Grape Ice” and “Cherry Pomegranate.”
This is the second major operation targeting the illicit tobacco and vape trade in Victoria this week. On Wednesday, eight individuals were charged with federal offences, and police seized around 600,000 cigarettes, vapes, and other tobacco-related products during raids across the state.
Victoria is currently facing escalating tension over the illegal tobacco market, with more than 100 arson attacks on tobacco shops reported in the past year. Authorities are treating the issue as part of an ongoing turf war between criminal groups involved in the illegal trade.
The investigation into the latest seizure is ongoing, with authorities working to disrupt the organized crime networks operating within Victoria’s black-market tobacco industry.
