Five tobacco stores across the Hastings and Camden Haven hit with temporary closure orders

FIVE stores have now been temporarily shuttered in the Hastings and Camden Haven as part of the NSW Government’s tough new crackdown on illicit tobacco and vaping goods.

That’s more than in any other coastal area outside Sydney and Newcastle.

Green closure orders stickers have appeared on the shopfronts of the Port Mart in Hayward Street, Port Macquarie; Fusian Asian Groceries and Confectionary in Short Street, Port Macquarie; Wauchope GT Convenience Store; the Port Mart in Wauchope; and the North Haven Tobacconist on Ocean Drive.

Since new laws came into effect on 3 November, 2025, NSW Health has issued 10 closure orders in the Mid North Coast Local Health District.

A spokesperson for NSW Health said that in collaboration with NSW Police, it can issue a short-term closure order for 90 days to retailers selling illicit tobacco, or illegal vaping goods, or selling tobacco or non-tobacco smoking products without a valid licence.

A full list of current tobacco closures can be found on the NSW Health website with the tobacco closure orders register updated every Friday after 3pm.

In Coffs Harbour, a News Of The Area reader noticed that shops appeared to have few groceries on their shelves and not much else.

Customers would enter, they said, and the proprietor would go to the back of the shop and return with cartons of what appeared to be cigarettes.

An employee of another store in Short Street, Port Macquarie, who asked not to be named, observed a similar process.

Cigarettes are a source of revenue primarily for the Federal Government, and there is growing concern, including from State and Federal politicians, that illegal tobacco sales are funding organised crime.

With excise and GST pushing the price of a legal packet of 20 cigarettes to more than $40, a pack-a-day smoker would be paying more than $15,000 dollars a year for their habit.

This is driving the market for illegal cigarettes.

The Australian Border Force (ABF) plays a significant role in tackling the issue of illicit tobacco.

It works with offshore partner agencies to stop illicit tobacco before it reaches Australia, targeting and detecting it at the border.

It also partners with a range of agencies to disrupt domestic distribution networks.

A spokesperson said, “Our objective is to break the illicit tobacco model through an intelligence-informed approach and by working with other agencies in response to those trading in the illicit tobacco market.

“The ABF are continuing to seize record amounts of illicit tobacco at the international borders.

“Just last financial year, we seized over 2.5 billion illicit cigarettes, over 430 tonnes of loose-leaf tobacco and over 6 million vapes.

“In addition to this, we have undertaken several successful joint agency operations in regional areas.”

According to the spokesperson, NSW Health draws on multiple intelligence sources, including reports from the public, information from law enforcement partners, and its own compliance holdings, to inform both targeted and broad enforcement activities across the state.

They said NSW Health, supported by NSW Police, actively enforces tobacco retailing legislation using an information and intelligence led risk-based approach.

A closure of premises is one regulatory tool available.

“NSW Health is aware the sale of illicit tobacco and vaping products continues to evolve, with some retailers attempting to obscure and avoid the enforcement activities of NSW Health Inspectors after a closure order has been issued.”

“NSW Police and NSW Health are working together to identify these methods and pivot their enforcement strategies to shut down this activity.”

NSW Health encourages the public to lodge complaints about retailers they believe are doing the wrong thing via the reporting portal on the NSW Health website.

By Andrew VIVIAN and Sue STEPHENSON