Amber-Jade Sanderson defends time taken to create tougher vape and tobacco laws amid escalating crime

The Cook Government has defended the time it’s taking to introduce new laws to crackdown on the illicit tobacco and vape trade, despite a rise of violence and arson incidents in Perth.

Senior Government Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson said the process to crack down on the illegal trade in WA is being done correctly.

“Cabinet approved the drafting of tougher laws last year, I think the Minister for Health led that, those laws are currently being drafted,” she said.

“We continue to support the police and public health in shutting down many of those convenience stores.

“Obviously, we’ve started to see a ramp up of that violent behaviour and really concerning behaviour, particularly from larger-scale operators in the illicit tobacco area.

“We’re absolutely focused on making sure that the police have the powers that they need to shut them down as quickly as possible.”

South West Police on Tuesday morning raided a Bunbury convenience store, Ram Smoke Accessories, and could be seen taking several boxes packed with tobacco products.

Police were yet to confirm the details of the raid or what was confiscated.

The raid follows a fire on Sunday morning at a separate Bunbury convenience store, allegedly selling illegal vapes, which caused major damage to the story and a neighbouring business, Allure Beauty Co.

WA Police’s serious and organised crime division is leading investigations into the Bunbury convenience store fire.

Make-up artist Amy Howes said her businesses had been “completely annihilated” by the blaze and left her feeling “really, really angry”.

An online funding campaign has been set up to help her get the business back on its feet, ahead of a busy summer wedding season.

Neighbours of Ram Smoke Accessories are now scared they might meet the same fate.

A neighbouring business owner said Ram Smoke Accessories had frequent heavy traffic seven days a week, preferred to do its business mostly in cash, and had an ATM fixed inside the store for customers to use.

Neighbours said young people, pensioners and tradespeople appeared to be the three main demographic groups visiting the store.

They said the Government should apply stricter penalties and that any stores should be shut down completely if illegal products were found during a raid.

States including South Australia and Queensland have already implemented tougher laws to increase fines for those found to be selling illicit vapes and tobacco.

The laws also give police more powers to shut down shops for extended periods.

Shadow police minister Adam Hort called on the Government to take faster action.

“Every other mainland State has moved to shut down illegal tobacco and vape stores, WA has not,” he said.

“That inaction has made our State a target for organised crime and small family businesses are paying the price.”

Ms Sanderson could not give a timeline in which the new legislation would be brought to the Parliament, which does not resume sitting until mid-February, despite a pledge of quick action and other other States already having tougher laws.

“We have to draft our own laws in Western Australia, and these are not uniform laws across the country because there’s unique circumstances,” the former health minister said.

“We’ve prioritised the drafting and I hope to see them soon.”