Western Australian authorities have commenced the enforcement of new statutes targeting the illicit trade of tobacco and vaping products.

西澳大利亞州當局已開始執行針對煙草及電子煙產品非法貿易的新法規。

The legislative framework, enacted on a Wednesday, empowers the Department of Health and police to impose closure orders of up to 90 days on premises engaged in the sale or possession of illicit tobacco and vapes. Within the initial 72-hour operational window, six establishments were ordered to cease operations: four within the Perth metropolitan area, one in Bunbury, and one in Kalgoorlie-Boulder. The latter served as the inaugural site of enforcement. Cumulative seizures from these operations comprise approximately 141,000 cigarettes, 5.2 kilograms of loose-leaf tobacco, and 613 vaping devices.

該立法框架於週三生效，授權衛生部與警方可對從事非法煙草及電子煙銷售或持有之場所，處以最高 90 天的停業令。在最初 72 小時的執法窗口內，共有六家店鋪被命令停止營運：四家位於珀斯大都會區，一家在邦伯里，以及一家在卡爾古利-鮑德。後者為首個執法地點。這些行動累計查獲約 141,000 支香菸、5.2 公斤散裝煙草及 613 個電子煙裝置。

Institutional positioning suggests a strategic alignment between the Tobacco Compliance Unit and Operation Maverick, a police taskforce dedicated to the disruption of organized criminal networks. Minister for Police Reece Whitby emphasized the nexus between illicit tobacco distribution and organized crime. Furthermore, the statutory penalties for the possession of large commercial quantities have been significantly escalated, with maximum fines reaching $4.2 million for individuals and $21 million for corporate entities, alongside potential custodial sentences of 15 years.

機構定位顯示，煙草合規單位與警方專案小組「Operation Maverick」之間存在戰略協調，後者致力於瓦解有組織的犯罪網絡。警察部長 Reece Whitby 強調了非法煙草分銷與有組織犯罪之間的聯繫。此外，持有大量商業數量的法定處罰已顯著提高，個人最高罰金可達 420 萬美元，企業法人則高達 2,100 萬美元，並可能面臨 15 年的監禁。

Despite the immediate impact of these measures, the Australian Council of Smoking and Health, represented by CEO Laura Hunter, posits that the current framework remains insufficient. Hunter advocated for the introduction of landlord termination powers and penalties for property owners who ignore illicit activities, citing a lag in Western Australia's regulatory rigor compared to Queensland and South Australia. In response to such requirements, Health Minister Meredith Hammat confirmed that a second phase of legislation is scheduled for introduction later this year to further augment the state's enforcement capabilities.

儘管這些措施產生了立即影響，但由執行長 Laura Hunter 代表的澳洲吸菸與健康委員會認為，目前的框架仍不足夠。Hunter 主張引入房東終止租約權，並對無視非法活動的物業所有者處以罰款，並指出西澳大利亞州的監管嚴格程度落後於昆士蘭州和南澳大利亞州。針對此類需求，衛生部長 Meredith Hammat 確認，預計於今年晚些時候推出第二階段立法，以進一步增強該州的執法能力。

Law enforcement investigations into the six closed premises remain active as the state prepares for further legislative expansions.

在該州準備進一步擴展立法的同時，執法部門對六家停業場所的調查仍在進行中。