Gymea Bay Convenience Store, at 44 Gymea Bay Road, will remain closed until August 4. Picture by Murray Trembath

A Gymea shop has become the first in Sutherland Shire to be closed for allegedly selling illicit tobacco since a state government crackdown began late last year.

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Gymea Bay Convenience Store, at 44 Gymea Bay Road on the northern side of the train station, has been closed for 90 days, from May 7 until August 4.

NSW Health signs on the windows and door state the premises were reasonably suspected of selling illicit tobacco.

Sign on the window of Gymea Bay Convenience Store. Picture by Murray Trembath

Legislation providing new closure order powers came into force on November 3, 2025.

NSW Health can issue a short-term (up to 90 days) closure order or apply to the Local Court for a long-term (up to 12 months) closure order for premises selling illicit tobacco, or illegal vaping goods, or selling tobacco or non-tobacco smoking products without a valid licence.

Once a closure order is issued, it is an offence to sell any products from the premises for the period of the closure order, and no-one is able to enter the premises, except those people with an exemption or with a reasonable excuse."

NSW Police are working in liaison with NSW Health.

As of April 24, NSW Health had issued 236 short-term closure orders on shops selling illicit tobacco and vapes.

As part of the crackdown, the government announced early this year 30 more tobacco inspectors were being added to the state-wide enforcement team.

Minister for Health, Ryan Park said in a statement in April, "So long as the significant disparity between the cost in legal and illegal tobacco remains, we will continue to see the prevalence of illegal tobacco in our communities and we will continue to play whack-a-mole with bad actors".

"Our inspectors actively monitor retailers, and if we find that you are continuing to sell these illicit products after being served a closure order, we will shut you down again and you will face further penalties," he said.

Minister for Police Yasmin Catley said NSW Police were working with NSW Health and Border Force "to take the fight to the illicit tobacco and vape trade".

"This is strong police work, plain and simple - shutting down illegal operators, seizing illicit stock and disrupting the trade that fuels broader criminal activity," she said.