Santa’s mailbox is open. Local kids urged to hand-deliver letters direct to the post office.Two St Leonards stores shut down as NSW government targets illicit tobacco and vapes.
Two tobacco stores in St Leonards, Sydney have been closed under tough new laws targeting illegal tobacco and vapes. Image: Supplied.
By ANNA USHER
Two stores in St Leonards are the first to be closed under the state government’s strict new laws targeting illicit tobacco and illegal vaping.
Both shops – located at 16 Pacific Highway and 201 Pacific Highway – will be shuttered for 90 days, unable to reopen before 2 February 2026.
Health inspectors found 3860 illicit cigarettes and 224 vapes at the two St Leonards stores and at two other premises.
NSW Health has substantial powers to make short-term closures for premises selling illegal tobacco and vaping goods, or selling tobacco without a licence.
Local Courts may, on application by the NSW Health Secretary, make a long-term closure order of up to 12 months for breaches.
NSW Health inspectors seized 3,860 illicit cigarettes and 224 illegal vapes at the two St Leonards stores and two other premises.
Watch: Health Inspectors raid two St Leonards stores:
Further investigations will follow, and additional enforcement actions, including prosecution, may be taken.
Health Minister Ryan Park said the move was “just the beginning”.
“I can confirm that today we have begun raiding and temporarily shutting down a number of shopfronts suspected of not complying with our tough new tobacco and vaping laws,” he said.
“To be sure, this will take some time as we ramp up our closure activities, but this is just the beginning. More will follow in the coming days, weeks and months.
“If you’re doing the wrong thing, sooner or later we will come for you.”
Both stores have been shut down until 2 February 2026.
Changes to the Public Health (Tobacco) Act have increased maximum fines for anyone caught selling products without a valid licence.
Individuals could be subject to penalties of up to $660,000, while corporations may face a fine of up to $880,000. A new offence for the commercial possession of illicit tobacco carries the risk of seven years’ imprisonment.
From 1 January 2025 to 27 October 2025, NSW Health Inspectors conducted around 1,260 retailer inspections and seized more than 11.8 million cigarettes, over 2,000kg of other illicit tobacco products and around 170,000 illegal vaping goods with a combined estimated street value of around $18.9 million.
Individuals selling illegal tobacco and vapes could be subject to penalties of up to $660,000. Image: Supplied.
NSW retailers and wholesalers are now required to hold a valid licence to sell tobacco or non-tobacco smoking products as part of the new NSW Tobacco Licensing Scheme.
Businesses can apply for a licence online using their MyServiceNSW account via the Service NSW website.
More information on closure orders and penalties can be found on Tobacco retailing laws in NSW.
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