Australia and China worked together to break up an illegal tobacco trafficking network. This cooperative effort included shared intelligence between the two countries. A $100m contraband shipment came after a tip-off from China. The haul contained illegal tobacco goods seized by authorities.
A tobacco tax push is not expected to curb the illegal tobacco market. Canada cut the tobacco tax to stamp out unlawful sales. The cut was designed to diminish the appeal of illicit cigarettes. High taxes in Australia may encourage more smuggling instead of ending the trade entirely.