Victoria’s new tobacco watchdog has finally shown some muscle, with millions of dollars in illicit tobacco seized in just weeks, including right here in Wangaratta.

But this is not a problem the state can, or should, be expected to tackle alone.

It should be incumbent on the federal government to help enforce this, either through more hands-on support or through funding.

The reality is that the taxes on the tobacco industry have created the illegal market, without enforcement measures keeping pace.

Sky-high excise may serve a public health purpose, but it has also handed organised crime a lucrative economy that is spilling into our regional streets.

While it is welcome to finally have movement from the state government on this issue, we need more.

Fourteen authorised officers across the entire state was never realistic and the burden still falls heavily on local authorities.

Our local police don’t have the resources to manage this on their own, the evidence of which is clear in the spread of illegal stores and firebombings linked to the tobacco trade.

Expecting regional police to juggle this alongside everyday policing simply isn’t fair or safe.

Furthermore, the owners of these businesses where illicit goods have been seized need to be prevented from taking out licences in the future.

Shut-down powers mean little if operators can reappear under a new name down the road.

If governments are serious about dismantling organised crime’s grip on illicit tobacco, it will require sustained funding, clear accountability, and genuine cooperation between state and federal authorities.

Anything less leaves communities like Wangaratta paying the price.