World May 18, 2026 · 1 min read

Police running out of room to store illegal cigarettes they’ve seized amid Australia’s booming illicit trade

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 vap...

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The Guardian
by Tom McIlroy Political editor
Police running out of room to store illegal cigarettes they’ve seized amid Australia’s booming illicit trade

Inquiry into black market hears cost of destroying vapes has also soared, with some requiring manual dismantling

Police 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.

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This article was originally published by The Guardian and written by Tom McIlroy Political editor.

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