More than 300,000 illegal vapes with a street value of $10 million have been found in a warehouse in Perth, the largest seizure of the products in Western Australia.
Health officials found the 40-pallet haul earlier this month, along with 10 tonnes of nitrous oxide and other prescription items, after a tip-off.
The seizure came amid a crackdown on illegal vapes and e-cigarettes which can contain up to 200 toxic chemicals, including the same compounds found in cleaning products, nail polish remover, weed killer, bug spray and paint stripper.
Inhaling nitrous oxide can be equally dangerous, causing permanent nerve or brain damage and even death.
Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson said the work of compliance officers had prevented hundreds of thousands of harmful products making their way into the community.
“Nicotine is a highly addictive and dangerous poison and we know vapes also contain many other toxic substances and are designed to appeal to young people," she said.
In WA, the maximum penalty for selling nicotine vapes is a $45,000 fine and individual and $225,000 for a company.
Individuals can also be jailed for up to three years.
