Illicit

Inquiry into black market hears cost of destroying vapes has also soared, with some requiring manual dismantlingFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastPolice are struggling to store a growing wave of illegal cigarettes and vapes seized from criminals, with secure facilities at capacity and the high cost of destroying illicit products becoming prohibitive.The Australian federal police (AFP) has been spending as much as $13 a kilogram for vapes to be destroyed, with some companies requiring the cartridge, battery and heating element to be manually dismantled. Continue reading...

Cigarettes kill 66 Australians every day, coalition says, criticising MPs who heard evidence from Philip Morris in secretGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastBig tobacco is exploiting fears of the illicit market to unwind longstanding health policies, leading health campaigners have warned, amid a parliamentary inquiry which took secret evidence from the cigarette manufacturer Philip Morris.A coalition of 15 health organisations including the Cancer Council and the Heart Foundation, as well as health experts and researchers, have accused the industry of trying to reshape public debate to push for major cuts to government excise. Continue reading...

• The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has pledged to adopt a zero-tolerance approach to the illicit narcotics trade as part of broader efforts to establish a drug-free region across Southeast Asia. • The commitment was announced during the 48th ASEAN Summit in Cebu, Philippines, reflecting unified regional policy against narcotics trafficking and consumption. • The drug-free initiative represents a significant coordinated effort among ASEAN member states including Indonesia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam to combat organized crime networks and reduce substance abuse.