The rising cost of legal cigarettes in Australia, driven by high taxes and excise, has led to a significant increase in the black market for tobacco. This illicit market is costing the country billions in lost revenue and is fueling organized crime and terrorism finance. Experts, including Deakin University Criminologist Doctor James Martin, attribute the growth of illegal alternatives to the high price of legal smoking. Sky News host Caleb Bond notes that this has resulted in massive outbreaks of gang crime. The NSW Crime Commission is actively seeking to address the issue, which also includes illegal imports of tobacco and vape products, as well as the use of cryptocurrency and luxury cars by Sydney’s underworld.