newy.com.au – Five Cessnock tobacconists have been ordered to close for 90 days after a joint NSW Police and NSW Health operation seized more than $260,000 worth of illicit tobacco products and vapes in the Hunter Valley.
Officers from Hunter Valley Police District and NSW Health inspectors inspected six businesses in the Cessnock CBD about 11am on Wednesday, 3 June, as part of Operation SLOANE, an ongoing investigation targeting illicit tobacco activity in the retail sector.
NSW Health issued short-term closure orders to five of the businesses following the inspections. Inspectors, assisted by police, seized 208,745 cigarettes, more than 39kg of loose tobacco leaf, 852 vapes and 35 nicotine pouches, with an estimated street value of about $260,500.
Police also declared crime scenes at two of the businesses and seized $33,000 in cash during the operation.
Operation SLOANE was established in October 2025 under the NSW Illicit Tobacco Taskforce, a partnership between NSW Police and NSW Health focused on illicit tobacco sales through retailers.
Investigations are continuing, and authorities say further enforcement action, including prosecution, may follow.
NSW Health said it uses an information and intelligence-led, risk-based approach to enforce tobacco retailing laws, drawing on reports from the public, law enforcement partners and its own compliance records. Short-term closure orders are one of the regulatory tools available.
As of Friday, 29 May 2026, NSW Health had issued 279 short-term closure orders. Retailers found to be breaching closure orders may face further action, including licence sanctions, long-term closure orders and prosecution.
Members of the public can report retailers they believe are doing the wrong thing through the reporting portal on the NSW Health website.
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