ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು
‘ಚುನಾವಣಾ ಸಂದರ್ಭದಲ್ಲಿ Congress ನಾಯಕರನ್ನೇ ಟಾರ್ಗೆಟ್ ಮಾಡಿಕೊಂಡು ED, CBI, IT ಯಂತಹ ತನಿಖಾ ಸಂಸ್ಥೆಗಳು ವಿಚಾರಣೆ ನೆಪದಲ್ಲಿ ಕಿರುಕುಳ ನೀಡುತ್ತಿವೆ. ಈ ತನಿಖಾ ಸಂಸ್ಥೆಗಳಿಗೆ ಕಾಂಗ್ರೆಸ್ ಬಿಟ್ಟು ಬಿಜೆಪಿ ನಾಯಕರ ಹಗರಣಗಳು ಕಾಣುವುದಿಲ್ಲವೇ’ ಎಂದು ಕಾಂಗ್ರೆಸ್ ನಾಯಕ ದಿನೇಶ್ ಗುಂಡೂರಾವ್ (Dinesh Gundu Rao) ಪ್ರಶ್ನಿಸಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಈ ಸಂಬಂಧ ಹೇಳಿಕೆಯೊಂದನ್ನು ಬಿಡುಗಡೆ ಮಾಡಿರುವ ಅವರು, ‘KPCC ಅಧ್ಯಕ್ಷ ಶಿವಕುಮಾರ್ ಹಾಗೂ ಅವರ ಪುತ್ರಿಗೆ ED ನೋಟಿಸ್ ನೀಡಿರುವುದು ರಾಜಕೀಯ ಪಿತೂರಿ’ ಎಂದು ಆಪಾದಿಸಿದ್ದಾರೆ.
‘ಇತ್ತೀಚೆಗೆ ತೆಲಂಗಾಣದಲ್ಲಿ ಒಬ್ಬೊಬ್ಬ ಶಾಸಕನಿಗೆ 100 ಕೋಟಿ ರೂಪಾಯಿ ಆಮಿಷವೊಡ್ಡಿ ಆಪರೇಷನ್ ಕಮಲಕ್ಕೆ ಬಿಜೆಪಿ ಯತ್ನಿಸಿತ್ತು. ಅದರ ಪ್ರಮುಖ ಆರೋಪಿ ಬಿ.ಎಲ್.ಸಂತೋಷ್ (B L Santhosh). ಆದರೆ ED ಅಧಿಕಾರಿಗಳು ಇಲ್ಲಿಯವರೆಗೂ ಸಂತೋಷ್ ವಿಚಾರಣೆ ಯಾಕೆ ನಡೆಸಿಲ್ಲ? ಒಬ್ಬೊಬ್ಬ ಶಾಸಕನಿಗೆ 100 ಕೋಟಿ ಕೊಡಲು ದುಡ್ಡು ಎಲ್ಲಿಂದ ಬಂತು? ಆ ದುಡ್ಡಿನ ಮೂಲ ಯಾವುದು ಎಂದು ಕೇಳಿದ್ದಾರಾ?’ ಎಂದು ಪ್ರಶ್ನಿಸಿದ್ದಾರೆ.
‘ಕೇವಲ ಕಾಂಗ್ರೆಸ್ ನಾಯಕರನ್ನೇ ಗುರಿಯಾಗಿಸಿಕೊಂಡು ತನಿಖೆ ನಡೆಸುವ ED ಅಧಿಕಾರಿಗಳು ಬಿಜೆಪಿಯ ಏಜೆಂಟ್. ಸಾಂವಿಧಾನಿಕ ಸಂಸ್ಥೆ ಎಂಬ ಗೌರವ ಕಳೆದುಕೊಂಡಿರುವ ED ರಾಜಕೀಯ ಪಕ್ಷವೊಂದರ ಚಾಕರಿ ಮಾಡುತ್ತಿದೆ. ED ತನ್ನ ಕೇಂದ್ರ ಕಚೇರಿ ತೊರೆದು ದೆಹಲಿಯ ದೀನ್ ದಯಾಳ್ ಉಪಾಧ್ಯಾಯ ರಸ್ತೆಯಲ್ಲಿರೋ ಬಿಜೆಪಿ ಕೇಂದ್ರ ಕಚೇರಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಕುಳಿತು ಕಾರ್ಯನಿರ್ವಹಿಸಲಿ’ ಎಂದು ಸಲಹೆ ಮಾಡಿದರು.
1 ಟಿಪ್ಪಣಿ
cheap cigarettes in australia
An Online Service Offers Australians Tobacco – But Also “Stop Smoking” Messages
A website has appeared offering Australians the ability to buy tobacco products with delivery to their door. The website, which operates under the name Australia Tobacconist Hub, shows a clear inconsistency: heavy promotion of cheap cigarettes alongside disclaimers about the dangers of smoking.
What the Service Offers
The platform’s main customer base is people who smoke looking to save money. Key items on the price list include:
Double Happiness brand — $190 per block (10 packets x 20’s)
Manchester Sapphire Blue (Dubai Edition) — $220 per carton
Manchester Special Edition Flow Red (Dubai Version) — $250 per carton
Manchester Blue Crush (Dubai Version) — $250 per block
Dunhill Blue (UK Version) — $220 per carton
Dunhill Red (UK Version) — $190 per block
Benson & Hedges Gold — $160 per carton
Zhongnanhai brand — $180 per block
The seller emphasizes “low costs” (Cheap Tobacco Australia) and the presence of well-known names such as Marlboro, Manchester, Bossku, and Double Happiness.
Delivery and Payment Methods
The seller claims to offer quick, dependable, and private shipping across Australia (Fast Tobacco Delivery Australia). They state that they take bank transfers, USDT (cryptocurrency), PayPal, Wise, and other methods. Customer communication is handled via WhatsApp and email — a common approach in the unlicensed sector for online tobacco sales.
The Contradiction in Messaging
Remarkably, the very same site that promotes tobacco sales (while officially noting that selling to persons under 18 is illegal) also features a “STOP SMOKING” graphic with an image of a cigarette passing through human lungs.
In a part named “STOP TOBACCO”, the text reads:
“Quitting isn’t easy, but every effort counts. Within minutes, your body begins to heal — and as time goes by, your health and vitality return. Begin your journey now!”
This public health message is placed near a list of items for sale selling cartons for $160–$250 and a call to action: “Buy Cigarettes Online in Australia at the Best Price.” Such double messaging is typical of illegal or semi-legal cigarette sellers that try to feign social responsibility while continuing to sell addictive products.
Legal Risks
The text fails to mention whether the seller possesses a valid Australian retail license for tobacco. Australia is famous for some of the most severe cigarette regulations globally, including standardised packaging rules and extremely high excise taxes. The offer of “cheap” cigarettes — especially “Dubai Edition” or “UK Version” — often indicates untaxed, smuggled, or counterfeit goods.
Summary
The presented service is a textbook example of a dark-market cigarette seller. It exploits smokers’ desire to save money in the face of Australia’s high legal tobacco taxes, while masking itself with empty health warnings and claims of customer care. Those thinking of purchasing should be aware that purchasing unregulated cigarettes carries not only legal risks but also a total absence of any assurance regarding product safety and authenticity.