Australian Border Force (ABF) officers in Beijing have successfully intercepted over 600,000 illegal vapes valued at around $30 million, preventing them from reaching Australian streets. This operation stemmed from the referral of nearly 70 high-risk containers, primarily arriving in New South Wales between September and October 2025. Many of these shipments were falsely labeled as benign items such as glass bottles and toys to evade detection.
In 2025, the ABF received over 1,000 referrals from international partners, leading to the seizure of more than 524 million cigarettes, over 1 million vapes, and 918 tonnes of loose-leaf tobacco. Acting Commander of Targeting, Laura Uttley, emphasized the importance of disrupting the flow of illicit goods upstream from the border, highlighting the critical role of international collaboration in these efforts.
Uttley praised the dedication of ABF officers both offshore and onshore, noting that their proactive information-sharing has significantly enhanced the agency’s ability to detect and seize suspicious consignments. This recent success builds on last year’s record seizure of over 691,000 vapes, marking a continued commitment to combatting the illegal importation of harmful products into Australia.
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