Overview
- The state has allocated $5 million to hire new compliance officers for the unit, while keeping exact staffing numbers confidential.
- The government is drafting changes to the Tobacco Products Control Act to enable immediate shutdowns of stores found selling illegal tobacco and vapes.
- WA Health will recruit retired and serving police into compliance roles to inject investigative expertise into regulatory enforcement.
- The Health tobacco enforcement unit is set to more than double its inspector capacity under the plan.
- Recent enforcement has escalated, with AFP raids seizing about $1 million in cash, five tonnes of tobacco and tens of thousands of vapes, as arson attacks and shootings persist and the police union warns of pressure on frontline ranks.