World · East Asia & Pacific · 2 hrs ago
Counterfeit cigarettes with Australian warnings made at scale in Asia
Criminal syndicates are making counterfeit cigarettes at industrial scale in warehouses in south-east Asia, primarily in Cambodia.
The cigarettes imitate common brands and use plain packaging, and some carry fake Australian health warnings.
Their packaging makes illegal products increasingly hard for authorities to detect and stop.
Customs Minister Julian Hill says parliament should pass laws giving authorities stronger powers to disrupt the trade and its profits.
The bill is expected to be debated in the Senate on Thursday.
The proposed powers would target supply chains and retailers, while states and territories are also stepping up enforcement against illegal tobacco sales.
Cigarettes in plain Australian-style packaging are being produced illegally at industrial scale in south-east Asian warehouses, according to intelligence provided to the federal government.
The factories are operated by criminal syndicates, primarily based in Cambodia, and make increasingly sophisticated counterfeit products.
Some fake packaging carries Australian health warnings.
Customs minister Julian Hill has urged parliament to pass tougher laws to target the illicit tobacco trade.
A bill expected to be debated in the Senate on Thursday would give law enforcement stronger powers to disrupt illegal tobacco supply chains.
- Who
- Criminal syndicates, primarily based in Cambodia, are producing the counterfeit cigarettes. Customs minister Julian Hill is calling for tougher laws.
- What
- Counterfeit cigarettes with Australian-style plain packaging and health warnings are being made at industrial scale.
- When
- The intelligence has no stated date. The report was published on 14 October 2026; the bill was expected to be debated on Thursday.
- Where
- Warehouses in south-east Asia, primarily in Cambodia.
- Why
- The counterfeit packaging is used to skirt bans, and Hill said criminal syndicates seek to profit from cheap global tobacco oversupply.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
NSW health inspectors seized 420,000 illegal cigarettes, about 60kg of loose-leaf tobacco and thousands of illicit vapes over two days.
NSW police closed 10 retailers across the state, including eight in south-west Sydney.
A new bill on the tobacco trade was expected to be debated in the Senate.
- Production location
- South-east Asian warehouses, primarily in Cambodia
- Production scale
- Industrial scale
- NSW seizures
- 420,000 illegal cigarettes on 6 and 7 October
- Loose-leaf tobacco seized
- About 60kg on 6 and 7 October
- Bill
- Expected to be debated in the Senate on Thursday
1 source
What people are saying
Serious and organised criminal syndicates have weaponised the cheap oversupply of tobacco globally and will do anything to make a buck
The crooks will continue to adapt their tactics
This highlights the urgency of equipping state, territory and commonwealth authorities with these new powers to go after anyone involved in the illegal tobacco trade, including the supply chains and retail outlets