Overview
- Arson detectives are probing a blaze that gutted Ashtar WA in Huntingdale overnight, with a nearby burnt-out car under investigation for links to the attack.
- It was the store’s second arson in six months, forcing nearby businesses to close temporarily after power was cut, while many targeted outlets have reopened and continue selling illegal cigarettes.
- Premier Roger Cook acknowledged the current Tobacco Products Control Act is unfit for tackling illicit tobacco and vapes, with a full overhaul promised this year but no introduction date.
- WA Police’s Taskforce Maverick has charged 11 people with 51 offences tied to tobacco-related violence, though no convictions have been recorded since the first case in 2024.
- WA Health reported about 904 inspections in 2025 with seizures up fourfold for cigarettes and nearly sevenfold for loose tobacco, as Queensland’s new powers shut 148 stores in 10 days.