The Front
The Front
The Australian
How government greed lit an illegal tobacco inferno
14 minutes Posted Sep 7, 2025 at 5:00 pm.
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Cigarettes are now over $50 a packet - unless you buy on the booming black market created by huge government tax hikes. Today - how well-intentioned policy went bad, and the serious baddies who are cashing in. 

Find out more about The Front podcast here. You can read about this story and more on The Australian's website or on The Australian’s app.

This episode of The Front is presented by Claire Harvey, produced by Kristen Amiet and edited by Tiffany Dimmack. Our team includes Lia Tsamoglou, Joshua Burton, Stephanie Coombes and Jasper Leak, who also composed our music. 

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