Latest news with #YasminCatley
Sydney Morning Herald
5 days ago
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
Police don't know how many shops are selling illegal tobacco
NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley has warned that law enforcement officers cannot be expected to regulate the ballooning tobacco black market and conceded it was not clear how many tobacconist retailers would sign up to a new licensing scheme designed to combat the problem. After Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers on Wednesday ruled out scaling back the tax on tobacco – which has rocketed from 26 cents per cigarette in 2010 to $1.37 in September 2024 – the debate has shifted to who should take on greater responsibility for tackling the explosion of illicit products. Catley on Thursday downplayed the idea that police should take over from NSW Health to enforce compliance, despite Premier Chris Minns earlier this week raising the prospect of handing officers a greater role in tackling black market tobacco. 'Police aren't regulators, and there's no question about that. They are not regulators. The police are out there catching crooks, and that's what we want them to do,' Catley said. Earlier this week, Minns ignited a conversation over whether the federal government's 'massive' excise on tobacco should be reduced as a means of combatting the explosion of illegal tobacco and vapes across Australia, with the lucrative trade providing a rich vein of revenue for criminal organisations. Loading But with NSW Health and the existing regulatory framework failing to stem the number of shops selling illicit tobacco, Catley said the introduction of a licensing scheme from July 1 would give the government a better understanding of 'how many shops are turning up' and 'where they are'. Police thought there might be about 6000 to 8000 tobacco retailers, but that was 'anecdotal', Catley said. Oversight of the current retail identification number (RIN) required to sell tobacco products was poor, senior government sources said, with little punishment for failing to register under the scheme. On Thursday, the store manager of an EzyMart near Martin Place in Sydney's CBD told the Herald he was aware of the new licensing scheme, saying: 'Of course, all the shops have to be signed up.'
The Age
5 days ago
- Business
- The Age
Police don't know how many shops are selling illegal tobacco
NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley has warned that law enforcement officers cannot be expected to regulate the ballooning tobacco black market and conceded it was not clear how many tobacconist retailers would sign up to a new licensing scheme designed to combat the problem. After Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers on Wednesday ruled out scaling back the tax on tobacco – which has rocketed from 26 cents per cigarette in 2010 to $1.37 in September 2024 – the debate has shifted to who should take on greater responsibility for tackling the explosion of illicit products. Catley on Thursday downplayed the idea that police should take over from NSW Health to enforce compliance, despite Premier Chris Minns earlier this week raising the prospect of handing officers a greater role in tackling black market tobacco. 'Police aren't regulators, and there's no question about that. They are not regulators. The police are out there catching crooks, and that's what we want them to do,' Catley said. Earlier this week, Minns ignited a conversation over whether the federal government's 'massive' excise on tobacco should be reduced as a means of combatting the explosion of illegal tobacco and vapes across Australia, with the lucrative trade providing a rich vein of revenue for criminal organisations. Loading But with NSW Health and the existing regulatory framework failing to stem the number of shops selling illicit tobacco, Catley said the introduction of a licensing scheme from July 1 would give the government a better understanding of 'how many shops are turning up' and 'where they are'. Police thought there might be about 6000 to 8000 tobacco retailers, but that was 'anecdotal', Catley said. Oversight of the current retail identification number (RIN) required to sell tobacco products was poor, senior government sources said, with little punishment for failing to register under the scheme. On Thursday, the store manager of an EzyMart near Martin Place in Sydney's CBD told the Herald he was aware of the new licensing scheme, saying: 'Of course, all the shops have to be signed up.'
The Advertiser
27-05-2025
- The Advertiser
Some 150 police thrown at hunt for 'lawless thugs'
A mega police task force designed to crush criminal activities of gangs in one state has been launched after a spate of public shootings. Taskforce Falcon in NSW will oversee and try to bring to justice alleged criminals behind public place shootings, arson attacks and kidnappings, dating back to December. The 150-strong taskforce, including 100 detectives, will oversee and co-ordinate more than a dozen investigations. The ninth of those shootings came on Sunday when a driver was left fighting for life after being ambushed on a busy road in western Sydney. "We will not tolerate these lawless thugs getting out there with their vendettas against each other and putting in danger innocent victims in our community," Police Minister Yasmin Catley told reporters on Tuesday. "Public safety is the number one priority for the NSW police force." In a pointed message to would-be criminals, she said, "You are going to end up in a small cell for the rest of your life." Deputy Commissioner David Hudson explained the uptick in violence was most likely related to gang turf wars over drugs spilling out on the streets. He vowed that any criminals, whether they played a small or large role, would be on the police's radar. "We will pursue all those involved, whether you're staging a vehicle to be used as a getaway vehicle, steering that vehicle, where you are pulling the trigger for hire, or whether you are the person who orchestrated the contract on that individual," he said. In the latest escalation of gangland violence on Sunday, at least one person in a Mercedes fired several rounds at a Toyota HiLux turning into a busy road in Granville, hitting the driver and front-seat passenger. The 32-year-old driver of the ute underwent surgery and remained in a critical condition, police said on Monday, but he is unlikely to survive his multiple gunshot wounds. Video circulating online showed the front-seat passenger, a 25-year-old lawyer, bleeding on the side of the road. He was in a stable condition in hospital. A mega police task force designed to crush criminal activities of gangs in one state has been launched after a spate of public shootings. Taskforce Falcon in NSW will oversee and try to bring to justice alleged criminals behind public place shootings, arson attacks and kidnappings, dating back to December. The 150-strong taskforce, including 100 detectives, will oversee and co-ordinate more than a dozen investigations. The ninth of those shootings came on Sunday when a driver was left fighting for life after being ambushed on a busy road in western Sydney. "We will not tolerate these lawless thugs getting out there with their vendettas against each other and putting in danger innocent victims in our community," Police Minister Yasmin Catley told reporters on Tuesday. "Public safety is the number one priority for the NSW police force." In a pointed message to would-be criminals, she said, "You are going to end up in a small cell for the rest of your life." Deputy Commissioner David Hudson explained the uptick in violence was most likely related to gang turf wars over drugs spilling out on the streets. He vowed that any criminals, whether they played a small or large role, would be on the police's radar. "We will pursue all those involved, whether you're staging a vehicle to be used as a getaway vehicle, steering that vehicle, where you are pulling the trigger for hire, or whether you are the person who orchestrated the contract on that individual," he said. In the latest escalation of gangland violence on Sunday, at least one person in a Mercedes fired several rounds at a Toyota HiLux turning into a busy road in Granville, hitting the driver and front-seat passenger. The 32-year-old driver of the ute underwent surgery and remained in a critical condition, police said on Monday, but he is unlikely to survive his multiple gunshot wounds. Video circulating online showed the front-seat passenger, a 25-year-old lawyer, bleeding on the side of the road. He was in a stable condition in hospital. A mega police task force designed to crush criminal activities of gangs in one state has been launched after a spate of public shootings. Taskforce Falcon in NSW will oversee and try to bring to justice alleged criminals behind public place shootings, arson attacks and kidnappings, dating back to December. The 150-strong taskforce, including 100 detectives, will oversee and co-ordinate more than a dozen investigations. The ninth of those shootings came on Sunday when a driver was left fighting for life after being ambushed on a busy road in western Sydney. "We will not tolerate these lawless thugs getting out there with their vendettas against each other and putting in danger innocent victims in our community," Police Minister Yasmin Catley told reporters on Tuesday. "Public safety is the number one priority for the NSW police force." In a pointed message to would-be criminals, she said, "You are going to end up in a small cell for the rest of your life." Deputy Commissioner David Hudson explained the uptick in violence was most likely related to gang turf wars over drugs spilling out on the streets. He vowed that any criminals, whether they played a small or large role, would be on the police's radar. "We will pursue all those involved, whether you're staging a vehicle to be used as a getaway vehicle, steering that vehicle, where you are pulling the trigger for hire, or whether you are the person who orchestrated the contract on that individual," he said. In the latest escalation of gangland violence on Sunday, at least one person in a Mercedes fired several rounds at a Toyota HiLux turning into a busy road in Granville, hitting the driver and front-seat passenger. The 32-year-old driver of the ute underwent surgery and remained in a critical condition, police said on Monday, but he is unlikely to survive his multiple gunshot wounds. Video circulating online showed the front-seat passenger, a 25-year-old lawyer, bleeding on the side of the road. He was in a stable condition in hospital. A mega police task force designed to crush criminal activities of gangs in one state has been launched after a spate of public shootings. Taskforce Falcon in NSW will oversee and try to bring to justice alleged criminals behind public place shootings, arson attacks and kidnappings, dating back to December. The 150-strong taskforce, including 100 detectives, will oversee and co-ordinate more than a dozen investigations. The ninth of those shootings came on Sunday when a driver was left fighting for life after being ambushed on a busy road in western Sydney. "We will not tolerate these lawless thugs getting out there with their vendettas against each other and putting in danger innocent victims in our community," Police Minister Yasmin Catley told reporters on Tuesday. "Public safety is the number one priority for the NSW police force." In a pointed message to would-be criminals, she said, "You are going to end up in a small cell for the rest of your life." Deputy Commissioner David Hudson explained the uptick in violence was most likely related to gang turf wars over drugs spilling out on the streets. He vowed that any criminals, whether they played a small or large role, would be on the police's radar. "We will pursue all those involved, whether you're staging a vehicle to be used as a getaway vehicle, steering that vehicle, where you are pulling the trigger for hire, or whether you are the person who orchestrated the contract on that individual," he said. In the latest escalation of gangland violence on Sunday, at least one person in a Mercedes fired several rounds at a Toyota HiLux turning into a busy road in Granville, hitting the driver and front-seat passenger. The 32-year-old driver of the ute underwent surgery and remained in a critical condition, police said on Monday, but he is unlikely to survive his multiple gunshot wounds. Video circulating online showed the front-seat passenger, a 25-year-old lawyer, bleeding on the side of the road. He was in a stable condition in hospital.
News.com.au
27-05-2025
- News.com.au
NSW Police super taskforce to tackle escalating gang violence in Sydney
A new police super taskforce will combat escalating gang violence across Sydney after two men were shot in broad daylight in the city's west. The two men were rushed to hospital after they were found in a car in Parramatta on Sunday afternoon. Taskforce Falcon will be led by the State Crime Command and will investigate shootings, arson attacks and kidnappings dating back to December 2024. The taskforce will absorb 13 underworld strike forces set up to investigate gang violence. NSW Police Deputy Police Commissioner said Taskforce Falcon would be manned by 150 officers as well as an additional 90 staff, including a 'proactive' arm. '(That) will be involved in suppression activities to ensure that recent violence that we've seen on the streets of Sydney over the past six months does not escalate into anything more horrific,' Mr Hudson said. The officers will be pooled from across the force, including the specialist squads attached to the State Crime Command, as well as the NSW Crime Commission, and will be overseen by Detective Superintendent Jason Box. NSW Police and Counter-Terrorism Minister Yasmin Catley MP said the 'recent violence on our streets is horrific' and vowed to apprehend those responsible. 'We won't tolerate these lawless thugs playing out their vendettas in our communities,' she said. 'When innocent people get caught up in them and are made to suffer it's sickening and barbaric. 'We all have the right to live our lives in our communities safe from these brazen criminals. 'Today we announce NSWPF are standing up Taskforce Falcon to deal with these murderous swine. 'The message is crystal clear. To those contemplating taking part in this vicious criminality, our police are coming to get you. 'You can look forward to spending a large chunk of your life in a small cell.' The taskforce will bring together, among other investigations, probes into six separate public place shootings, mostly in western Sydney. It will also oversee investigations into the alleged shooting murder of a 31-year-old in Canley Heights in December 2024 as well as the alleged shooting murder of a 23-year-old man in Condell Park on May 19, 2025. Mr Hudson said part of the reason for establishing the taskforce was because of links already established by investigators between some of the alleged incidents. The taskforce follows similar models used during Taskforce Magnus and Taskforce Erebus, which Mr Hudson said had suppressed previous 'conflicts within organised crime'. 'Since 2021, we have had 25 organised crime murders in the state of NSW. Twenty of those have been solved through investigations and the other five ongoing,' he said. 'Some of those investigations have involved the arrest of up to 30 people, not just because of committing the murder but people orchestrating the commissions of that murder. Mr Hudson said police would 'leave no stone unturned' in the pursuit of people involved in organised crime incidents 'no matter whatever it involves'.
Perth Now
27-05-2025
- Perth Now
Some 150 police thrown at hunt for 'lawless thugs'
A mega police task force designed to crush criminal activities of gangs in one state has been launched after a spate of public shootings. Taskforce Falcon in NSW will oversee and try to bring to justice alleged criminals behind public place shootings, arson attacks and kidnappings, dating back to December. The 150-strong taskforce, including 100 detectives, will oversee and co-ordinate more than a dozen investigations. The ninth of those shootings came on Sunday when a driver was left fighting for life after being ambushed on a busy road in western Sydney. "We will not tolerate these lawless thugs getting out there with their vendettas against each other and putting in danger innocent victims in our community," Police Minister Yasmin Catley told reporters on Tuesday. "Public safety is the number one priority for the NSW police force." In a pointed message to would-be criminals, she said, "You are going to end up in a small cell for the rest of your life." Deputy Commissioner David Hudson explained the uptick in violence was most likely related to gang turf wars over drugs spilling out on the streets. He vowed that any criminals, whether they played a small or large role, would be on the police's radar. "We will pursue all those involved, whether you're staging a vehicle to be used as a getaway vehicle, steering that vehicle, where you are pulling the trigger for hire, or whether you are the person who orchestrated the contract on that individual," he said. In the latest escalation of gangland violence on Sunday, at least one person in a Mercedes fired several rounds at a Toyota HiLux turning into a busy road in Granville, hitting the driver and front-seat passenger. The 32-year-old driver of the ute underwent surgery and remained in a critical condition, police said on Monday, but he is unlikely to survive his multiple gunshot wounds. Video circulating online showed the front-seat passenger, a 25-year-old lawyer, bleeding on the side of the road. He was in a stable condition in hospital.
