POLICE executed a search warrant on a Swan Hill business on Thursday morning, seizing close to $100,000 worth of tobacco, vape products and cash.
The store, Accessories, Gifts and Candy, is located in the Coles plaza on Beveridge Street and has only been operating in Swan Hill for a short time.
Acting Inspector Brian Hansen from Swan Hill police said the warrant was a timely warning that illegal enterprises would not be tolerated.
“We are concerned about the health implications of these illegal products within our community and we think it’s important for the people who set up shop to know we will not accept it here,” he said.
“Police received information from a variety of sources and acted quickly to attain a warrant to search the shop.
“A large quantity of tobacco, vape products and cash was discovered by police during that search and has been seized.
“The police have acted quickly to get ahead of any incident that might be of detriment to a small community.”
Senior Constable Josh Ephraums said vapes contained substances classified as schedule 4 poisons and are illegal to sell without proper authority.
“The quantities seized today are concerning,” he said.
“A total of 634 vapes that sell for around $60 each, so that’s potentially $38,000 in resale value.
“We found approximately $27,000 worth of cigarettes in cartons and a large amount of pre-filled cigarettes and 22 50-gram tobacco pouches.
“That’s on top of a large amount of cash, so all told, it is a significant amount that has been removed from our community.”
The search of the property comes after a spate of incidents across the state regarding illegal vape and tobacco sales, including a business fire in Cohuna in August and a recent seizure of products, again from Cohuna’s business district.
The Luna Taskforce has been established to address the problem statewide as concerns grow for escalating violence and arson associated with the trade.
Earlier this week, changes to vaping legislation allowed for legal purchase of vapes from pharmacies if the pharmacist is satisfied their use is intended for smoking cessation or the management of nicotine dependence.
Any sale outside of pharmacies remains illegal across all states of Australia.
