Why were Murray Bridge’s smoke shops shut down?
Local smokers aren’t happy about raids by Consumer and Business Services as part of Operation Eclipse, which is targeting the illicit tobacco trade in South Australia.
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Locals have reacted angrily to the closure of two smoke shops in Murray Bridge by order of the state government.
Last Wednesday, Consumer and Business Services ordered the temporary closure of the two stores – Misty Smoke on Bridge Street and Tobaccocino on Adelaide Road – for allegedly selling tobacco products and vapes unlawfully.
Tobacco retailers need to have a licence, and neither shop had one, according to notices posted on their doors.
Both shops must remain closed until at least October 15, or risk fines of $350,000 for an individual and $750,000 for a company.
As well as the licensing issue, the Tobacco and E-Cigarette Products Act lists a whole range of products that cannot be sold in South Australia, including:
- Products which have not been taxed at the correct rate: $1.50 per cigarette or $2397 per kilogram of loose tobacco
- Individual cigarettes, or packs of less than 20
- Tobacco products without plain packaging and health warnings
- Products with a fruity, sweet or confectionary flavour, or which appear to target children
- Sucking tobacco
A number of commenters in a community Facebook group suggested they were not enthusiastic about paying ordinary retail prices for a pack of cigarettes.
“(The authorities) are not worried about our health, only how much money they can skin us out of,” one protested.
“Whenever I see anyone smoking I think ‘wow, they must be rich’,” said another.
Time to go into a different line of work, landlord suggests
Sam Valizadeh, the owner of the Adelaide Road premises, told Murray Bridge News he had warned his tenants to consider operating a different kind of business instead of selling tobacco products.
It was good for locals to have access to affordable cigarettes, he said, but not worth risking a heavy fine.
Under tough new laws, even building owners and real estate agents can be liable for fines of up to $50,000 if they knowingly allow “prohibited conduct” on their premises.
Mr Valizadeh even suggested that forcing people to pay more for cigarettes could lead to an increase in petty crimes like thefts and break-ins.
However, SA Police told Murray Bridge News that, so far, there was no evidence that had been the case.
“There have been no identified patterns or increase in offending across the Murraylands region in recent weeks,” a spokesperson said.
Operation Eclipse continues to target illicit tobacco
Each of the two Murray Bridge shops had previously been visited by CBS inspectors in January as part of Operation Eclipse, a statewide crackdown on the illicit tobacco trade.
The state government has issued more than 50 short-term closure orders to smoke shops around SA since June.
It has also seized $40 million worth of product, including $1.5 million worth allegedly found on a truck at Monteith in March.
Consumer and Business Affairs Minister Andrew Michaels suggested that many of the shops which had been caught selling illicit tobacco and vapes had connections to organised crime.
Murray Bridge News does not allege that to be the case for either of the local retailers.
“Our illicit tobacco taskforce continues to relentlessly conduct raids right across the state,” Ms Michaels said.
“Anyone selling illicit tobacco and vapes in South Australia is on notice that you will be shut down.
“The (state) government will continue to do everything it can to stamp out this illegal trade in South Australia.”
Among other things, taxes on tobacco products help pay for the health services which treat problems caused by smoking.
A 2019 study by the National Drug Research Institute estimated that smoking costs the nation $6.8 billion per year in health care, $5 billion in sick days and absences from work, and billions more in other areas.
Smoking causes heart disease, cancer and a range of other health problems, both in smokers and those exposed to cigarette smoke.
The health effects of vaping are less well known, but vapes have been linked to a higher risk of lung disease, depression and anxiety.
Murray Bridge News has attempted to contact the owners of Tobaccocino for comment, and was unable to find public contact information for Misty Smoke.
- More information: For South Australian laws, visit www.cbs.sa.gov.au; for the industry, visit www.tobaccoinaustralia.org.au.
- Get help: Visit besmokefree.com.au or www.sahealth.sa.gov.au; call the Quitline on 13 78 48; download the MyQuitBuddy app for Apple, Android or Windows; or talk to your GP.
