The Victorian government is calling on tobacco retailers and wholesalers to apply for a tobacco licence, with less than two weeks left before enforcement begins as part of its crackdown on the illicit tobacco trade and organised crime.
Businesses must lodge their applications before 31 January, ahead of licences becoming mandatory from 1 February. More than 3300 applications have already been received by Tobacco Licensing Victoria since the scheme commenced on 1 July, with more expected ahead of the deadline.
Anyone who sells tobacco in Victoria will need to apply for a licence if they haven’t already done so, including supermarkets, convenience stores, liquor stores, petrol stations and online retailers.
Businesses that apply before 1 February can continue to trade while their application is assessed. Anyone who applies on or after 1 February must wait until they are granted a licence before selling tobacco.
From 1 February, licensing inspectors will be on the ground to ensure businesses are complying with their obligations and act against those who break the law.
Those found selling tobacco without a licence faces fines of up to $170,948.40 or up to five years in jail – while businesses face fines of more than $854,000. Anyone caught selling illicit tobacco faces fines of up to $366,318 or up to 15 years in jail, with businesses risking penalties of more than $1.8 million.
“Victoria is working to smoke out illicit tobacco operators, with tough penalties for anyone selling illicit tobacco or selling tobacco without a licence from February,” says Victorian Minister for Casino, Gaming and Liquor Regulation Enver Erdogan.
“As the deadline approaches, we’re urging every legitimate business that sells legal tobacco to apply now, so we can continue our strong crackdown on illegal tobacco and the criminal activity that sits behind it.”
The Victorian government says licences will only be granted to “fit and proper” people who pass a strict test, with the regulator able to refuse a licence based on a person’s history or known associates.
Tobacco Licensing Victoria will have strong new enforcement powers, including suspending or cancelling licences, seizing illegal tobacco products, and court action. They’ll be working closely with Victoria Police to support intelligence‑gathering efforts targeting serious and organised crime.
