Customs authorities have seized a record haul of illegal nicotine “pouches” amid concerns organised smugglers are attempting to flood the Australian market with a new type of product following the crackdown on vapes and illicit cigarettes.
“We’re already seeing increases across the board in this stuff coming through in air cargo and mail. People are seeing it and starting to import it. We’re expecting to see more,” ABF Inspector Matthew Alexander said.found nicotine pouches prominently displayed for sale at two of four shops that sold illicit tobacco products in one of Melbourne’s northern suburbs last week.and are smuggling and selling tens of millions of dollars worth of illicit tobacco and vapes every month.
Cans of Velo and similar brands can be purchased in bulk for about $7 a can in Europe, but retail in Australia for between $15 and $22 on the black market. As an illegal product, it attracts no tax. “The nicotine pouch market has been growing very quickly overseas, often avoiding regulation that applies to other tobacco products and e-cigarettes – including snus, which contains tobacco and is banned in many places where nicotine pouches are not,” said Associate Professor Marita Hefler, principal research fellow at the Menzies School of Health Research.
“It worked well with vaping, creating all these confectionery flavours. It’s a policy whack-a-mole sort of approach – cigarettes are going down , vaping is being cracked down on, so they introduce a new product.