Exorbitant tobacco taxes lead to organized crimes and endanger the public

The youngest Confiscation of $ 35 million tobacco plants of $ 35 million In Victoria, only the latest incident in the burgeoning black market tobacco trade in Australia – is a trade that was created from increasingly exorbitant tobacco taxes Improvement and sale of non -regulated tobacco productsRegulate the growth of organized criminal groups that regulate their sale by what the media have referred to 'The tobacco wars'.

Last confiscation

The Viper TaskforcePresent Australian border powerAnd Australian tax office Worked together to localize, confiscate and destroy over 16 tons of tobacco during a search command in a five hectare property in Merrigum, a small town 200 kilometers north of Melbourne.

The discovery of the tobacco plants was made possible by the vigilance of parishioners that provided the police crucial information. This underlines the important role that each of us can play in combating organized crime and ensuring public security.

The authorities estimated that organized Crime groups are responsible for 75% of illegal tobacco trade within the country – An astonishing figure that brings the question of the security of the public in the illegal tobacco industry.

Despite the advance of continuously inflating tobacco taxes to reduce society, there seemed to be only a shift in the type of damage.

Maybe the most important negative episode of strong taxer tobacco Is the growth of organized criminal groups that coordinate the import of black market tobacco products and regulate their sale – which means that the media recently referred to as “tobacco wars” and the associated violent crimes and arson.

Perhaps it is to be asked in good time whether the The taxation and regulation of tobacco products is unjustified hard And if so, should be relaxed? fewer.

Negative consequences of exorbitant tobacco taxes

The adverse consequences of the current taxes and regulation are different and include:

Black market

The tobacco black market in Australia does not shrink due to strict legislation – it grows. Alone in Victoria, More than 1,000 tobacco transactions sell illegal tobacco Or related products – a whopping 77% of all shops that sell tobacco products. High cigarette prices, a reduction in smoking quotas as well as relaxed law enforcement agencies and laws have led to a massive increase in the country's black market, which has led to organized crime and a billion dollar doll industry, which is lucrative for criminals.

import Cigarettes and tobacco products Is not only used by the public for consumption. The import of illegal products is used to trade in criminal activities, such as: B. conversion into other types of drugs, weapons or other objects.

Strictly licensing for business

Victoria has already started to get tobacco dealers a special license To wage a fatal lawn war in which hundreds of companies in the state attack and fire. Despite the first urge to help companies avoid violence and remain a gear in the machine of illegal tobacco trade, this means that innocent companies “have to jump through tires” and “jump” and “jump” and “jump” and “jump” and “jump” and “jump” and “jump” and “jump” “Pass a strict test” to get a license.

Therefore, Victorian companies have to comply with new police regulations that enable them to carry out their business, to suspend licenses, to confiscate and issue objects. The same could be implemented in NSW as the state tries to operate tobacco consumers that sell illegal products.

Tobacco wars

The Australian media viewed the struggles between organized crime groups within the country.Tobacco wars'With the illegal sale of tobacco and resulting from it violent crimes committed by organized criminal groups with an alarming increase. Criminal networks fought against each other against most of the control in the illegal tobacco trade, which of the incentive of the Exorbitant price for legal cigarettes And tobacco products in the country.

In South Australia alone, almost 20 companies and vehicles in relation to the attacked Selling illegal tobacco. Although the SA -Polizei makes 16 arrests from raids and searches Firebombings A large indicator of the corrupt tobacco shops in Victoria Back in 2023).

Not just that Presence of organized crimes A threat to the police of several countries, but it is a direct danger to the public. Criminality groups provide arson attacks, fights and blackmails against their enemies – and innocent members of the public, such as shopkeepers – that lead to questions about whether the police and the country can stop or Slow the ever growing illegal trade network.

Lower government income

Very high tobacco taxes not only threaten the organization of criminal groups and general well -being, but also endangers the economy. The increase in tobacco tax leads to a Decline in state income Due to the lower sales of legal tobacco products across the country, which leads to tax questions and is dependent on illegal substances.

The total income for Tobacco products in the 2022-2023 financial year were $ 0.2 billion lower as intended at the beginning. This shows how the avoidance of tax payments and the dependence on illegally sold tobacco has a negative impact on the government's income. The trends point out that the expenditure estimates continued to fall in recent years. The expenditure rose from $ 44 in 1990 to $ 17.2 billion in 2018.

Is more laws and enforcement the answer?

The general public and state legislators have to ask themselves: What is the most efficient way to contain organized crime and avoid the fatal tobacco wars? Are more Tobacco violations and increased punishments And regulations the answer? Maybe not.

Black market tobacco products are across the countryNot only the health of Australian citizens, but also public security of innocent people. The organized crime and the struggle for cheap tobacco products have led to an increase in destruction, arson and injuries in connection with the black market, which can harm innocent people on the way.

The enforcement could be the answer to limit the criminals involved in the syndicates who are leading the show – but so far the Responsibility of the enforcement Was awarded to municipal councils and consumer matters. These small agencies and government agencies do not have the resources or the staff to combat a constantly growing black market with a successful billion dollars.

In this case, the real way to slow down or stop the tobacco black market could fall, the Minister of Health and the government. The termination of increasing tobacco taxes would mean that the legal price of tobacco freezes or possibly decreases, which makes the black market starving and easier to achieve without illegal activities.