The Australian Border Force (ABF) has seized more than a million illegal cigarettes and vapes in a series of raids throughout Western Australia and the Northern Territory in a joint operation with other federal, state and territory agencies.

In a statement today, an ABF spokesperson said Operation Tempest uncovered more than 1.7 million cigarettes and 504 kilograms of loose-leaf tobacco, along with more than 9,500 vapes and 6,310 oral nicotine pouches across 66 locations.

The spokesperson said the haul would have had a street value of more than $814,000 and represented almost $4 million in foregone taxes.

Multiple law enforcement officers prepare to open a blue shipping container while a man in civilian clothing looks on.

Law enforcement agencies raided 13 locations in Darwin and Katherine late last month, seizing more than 300kg of loose-leaf tobacco. (Supplied: ABF)

They said 66 people of interest were also identified during the six-day blitz late last month and authorities had applied for the closure of 15 shops as a result.

In the NT alone, the spokesperson said NT Health and Australian Taxation Office inspectors found more than 300,000 cigarettes, 306 kg of loose-leaf tobacco, more than 1,560 vapes and almost 3,000 oral nicotine pouches at 13 locations across Darwin and Katherine.

The sites included two car yards, a petrol station, eight shops, a postal depot and a residential property in Stuart Park, with the raids also turning up electronic devices, NSW number plates and drug paraphernalia.

A combination safe is sunk into a hole cut in the wooden floorboards.

The joint operation resulted in authorities applying for the closure of 15 shops in WA and the NT. (Supplied: ABF)

Barber shops and car yards involved

At the same time, WA Health officials searched 45 retail shops, while ABF officers in Perth, Mariginiup and Margaret River raided four storage facilities, two postal depots, a home and a shipping container stored on a rural property.

They seized more than 1.46 million cigarettes, 197 kg of loose-leaf tobacco and 7,900 vapes, along with 1,000 cigars, 3,360 oral nicotine pouches and 4 kg of MDMA, while agents screened passengers from 22 international flights for illicit tobacco.

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WA Department of Health, Director of Tobacco and Vape Regulation Shane Giblett said the operations would continue and public information had been vital in targeting the stores.

“We want to make one thing clear, if you’re buying illicit tobacco or illicit vapes, you’re putting money in the hands of likely organised crime,” he said.

“These organised crime individuals have no qualms selling to children.

“Tobacco still is the number one cause of preventable disease and illness in Australia and the illicit tobacco market isn’t helping a downward trend in smoking.”

ABF Inspector David Williamson said the multi-agency operations were about more than just seizures, with intelligence gathered helping them to identify mid-level criminals.

“The task for us when we gather information from operations like this and from information sharing with our partners, is to be dynamic enough to move with organised crime, [so] they’ve got nothing else to focus on other than trying to avoid enforcement and compliance,” he said.

A uniformed law enforcement officer leads a sniffer dog as it checks luggage on an airport baggage carousel.

The Australian Border Force’s (ABF) National Disruption Group (NDG) has coordinated targeted action across Western Australia (WA) and the Northern Territory (NT), pursuing suspected illicit tobacco and vape distribution channels. Inspectors from WA Health supported by the ABF and and WA Police conducted inspections at 45 retail outlets, including tobacconists, convenience grocers, gift stores and barbers located across Perth and Margaret River. The raids uncovered more than 1.46 million illicit cigarettes, 197kg of loose leaf tobacco and more than 7,900 vaping devices and accessories. Picture supplied by the ABF on 07/09/2026. (Supplied: ABF)

Inspector Williamson also expressed concern that businesses like barber shops and car yards have also been involved.

“There is no narrow focus for us which means that we all need to be more flexible and dynamic, to be able to address wherever the trade appears, wherever it turns up,” he said.

Police continue to ‘target’ and ‘disrupt’

The raids come after the ABF allegedly discovered 433,400 cigarettes, 686 kg of loose-leaf tobacco and 50,200 single-use vapes inside a Darwin Storage unit in June.

Uniformed police officers carry cardboard boxes through a storage facility.

ABF officers raided four storage facilities, two postal depots, a home and a shipping container in WA, finding more than a million cigarettes. (Supplied: ABF)

A month earlier, 103,600 illegally imported cigarettes and 39 kg of loose-leaf tobacco were also seized from an international mail carrier.

In a statement, ABF Commander Greg Dowse said criminals were working to “diversify” their activities “in an attempt to conceal their operations and maximise profits”.

“No single agency can address illicit tobacco networks alone,” he said.

A gold-coloured box of Alibarbar branded vaping devices.

The joint operation uncovered more than 9,500 vapes and 6,310 oral nicotine pouches across 66 locations. (Supplied: ABF)

“Success comes from coordinated action where intelligence, analytical capabilities, regulatory powers and enforcement actions are brought together to target the full criminal ecosystem, not just individual detections or actors.”

Australian Federal Police Detective Acting Superintendent Pixie Fuhrmeister said the agency would continue to work with its law enforcement partners to “proactively target” and “disrupt” those involved.

A sniffer dog makes its way through a large stack of carboard boxes and other cargo.

The agents screened passengers from 22 international flights for illicit tobacco as part of Operation Tempest. (Supplied: ABF)

“The illicit tobacco trade is directly linked to acts of violence in our community and these crimes are executed by organised crime groups in their pursuit of power and profit,” she said.

“Anyone who becomes involved in the illicit activity should be warned the AFP and its partners are committed to ongoing action to stop criminal enterprises profiting from everyday Australians.”

Mr Giblett said online sales were also of “huge concern”.

“There is work nationally that is happening in regard to online sales and we will contribute to that where we can,” he said.

Authorities say there have so far been no arrests or charges laid in NT or WA relating to the most recent raids.

Health experts pleased with crackdown

University of Sydney public health professor Becky Freeman said it was encouraging to see the searches had involved a multi-disciplinary approach rather than different agencies “finger-pointing”.

“I think it’s been crystal clear that retailers in particular have felt emboldened to just sell these illicit products in broad daylight,” she said.

“If the enforcement isn’t there, then there’s absolutely no way we’re going to see a reduction in illicit tobacco use.

“We need sellers to know that they will be caught and they will face stiff penalties.”

Professor Freeman said law enforcement officials now needed to go further and prosecute those involved, to prevent shut-down retail shops from reopening.

Woman with short blonde hair looks at camera with hands together, inside building at Sydney University.

Becky Freeman says she is pleased to see police crack down on illegal tobacco in WA and the NT. (ABC News: Daniel Irvine)

NT Health Chief Pharmacist Samuel Keitaanpaa said the latest raids would not be the end of authorities cracking down on the Territory’s black market.

“There will be ongoing enforcement and compliance activities, and we strongly suggest people who are supplying illegal goods to Territorians to think of alternative business models,” he said.

“While there haven’t been any charges laid from an NT government perspective at this stage, other law enforcement partners are actively pursuing charges against some individuals, and information gathered is highly likely to lead to further prosecution and further action over the coming months.”