THE NSW Government has answered calls to launch a parliamentary inquiry into the fast-growing illegal tobacco trade.

Member for Northern Tablelands Brendan Moylan has been pushing for action on the expanding industry and questioned the lack of enforcement of vaping laws within New South Wales.

A parliamentary inquiry into illegal tobacco trade has been established and referred to the Legislative Council Committee on Justice and Communities.

Recent incidents highlight the severity of the illegal tobacco trade including a truck rollover near Grafton on Sunday where 2.5 tonnes of illegal tobacco were uncovered.

Mr Moylan said the number of illegal tobacconists operating has exploded and they pose a huge risk to community health and safety, particularly to the region’s youth.

“Data from NSW Health shows a huge rise in the number of tobacconists across New South Wales; from 14,500 four years ago to 19,500 today,” he said.

“These illegal operations particularly affect regional and rural areas, like the Northern Tablelands, where there’s limited resources to conduct compliance checks and they are being sold to young people.

“Illegal tobacco trade has also been linked with an increase in crime across New South Wales.

“The inquiry will force the government to look at the impact of the tobacco trade on small businesses and communities and the failures to address the sale of illegal and counterfeit cigarettes.”

The inquiry announcement comes on the back of an incident near Grafton at the weekend when tobacco worth more than $500,000 was seized after a crash.

Early Sunday morning, emergency services were called to the Pacific Highway, Tucabia, 25km east of Grafton, following reports of a crash.

Officers attached to Coffs/Clarence Police District attended and found a truck had left the roadway, before rolling and landing on its side.

Two men, both aged 19, were able to get out of the truck uninjured. However, when the truck was checked, 125 boxes containing loose-leaf tobacco was discovered.

The boxes weighed in at about 2.5 tonnes which have an estimated potential street value of $500,000. Police have been advised this is a total excise loss of more than $1m.

Both men were arrested and taken to Grafton Police Station where they were charged with convey/possess tobacco products reckless re defraud revenue; deal with property proceeds of crime greater than $100,000; and goods in personal custody suspected being stolen.