The Australian Border Force (ABF) has seized the vapes worth $12.4 million from being illegaly imported to Australia between Monday and Thursday.
The vapes were smuggled into Australia through sea cargo containers where about 400,000 vapes were seized from three shipping containers.
On Monday, a total of 37,800 disposable vape products were found concealed with declared goods.
A second container was found carrying 18 pallettes with 174,960 disposable vapes inside while the third shipping container was found on Thursday with 177,120 vapes.
ABF said the whole three see cargo containers were from Asia and was X-ray scan was used to identify anomalies in the shipping containers.
ABF believe that the group of people diversifying into the distribution of vaping products are the same ones to profit from illicit tobacco but the authority is ready to stop them.
“These syndicates use the profits of these illicit activities to fund their other criminal ventures, including illicit drug supply – we must target and disrupt all the streams of their business model by stopping and seizing these vaping products,” ABF Acting Commander of Trade (East), Asha Patwardhan said.
Despite their fun fruity flavours and colourful packaging which make them attractive to a younger market, vapes contain highly addictive nicotine and may expose the consumers into unacceptable health risks.
