Notices plastered across the roller doors of two well-known Redfern shops stopped locals in their tracks this week, announcing an abrupt 90-day shutdown ordered by NSW Health over the suspected sale of illicit tobacco.
Redfern Convenience Store has become famous in recent years for stocking items from across the world, it’s solid social media backing and outspoken owner Hazem Sedda.
The notices, attached to the roller doors of the Redfern businesses read:
“THIS PREMISES IS CLOSED 28 April 2026 – 26 Jul 2026”
“A delegate of the NSW Health Secretary… direct that the premises at 152 Redfern Street, Redfern NSW 2016 known as ‘Redfern Convenience Store’ (the Premises) be closed for 90 days.
“This Order is made, as I reasonably suspect that a relevant breach has, and is likely to occur at the Premises, Being the: Sale of Illicit Tobacco.”
Another local shop owner told news.com.au the closure order had been issued on Tuesday.
A worker at the cafe opposite confirmed Mr Sedda had visited on Tuesday and told him that someone had made a report about the business, although he did not know who.
Under NSW laws introduced in 2024 it is illegal for retailers other than pharmacies (tobacconists, convenience stores, petrol stations) to sell any type of illegal nicotine products (such as nicotine pouches or illegally sourced cigarettes).
Local reactions to the closure were mixed with one saying the area didn’t need any more tobacconists while another, Sam, 21, argued “as far as convenience stores go, his is as good as it gets”.
A regular stream of locals paused at the closed shops to read the notices and take photos.
Sedda has for years been a vocal pro-Palestinian advocate, being Palestinian himself, the shopfront and social media page (with 29k followers) advertises Palestine chocolate “to spread awareness and support for Palestine’s struggle for freedom and justice”.
Sedda arrived in Australia in 2002, two years after his father, trained and qualified as a pilot before returning to the family business running the now famous convenience store.
“With respect to all pilots, of course, I found it really boring,” he told SBS news, laughing.
“You sit in a flight cockpit, but it’s boring. You’re by yourself and there’s a very limited number [of people] you could meet.
“In [the store], you could meet everyone. I could meet pilots in here. I could meet doctors and I could meet people even from the street. So it’s much [more] fun, more interesting. I really love it.”
Just two weeks ago Sedda celebrated 25 years at the store, taking to Instagram to mark the occasion.
“25 years. That’s not just time … that’s sacrifice, risk, lessons, and belief.
“I’m Hazem Sedda, and what you see today with Redfern Convenience didn’t happen overnight. It’s been built step by step, day by day — through early mornings, late nights, and never giving up when things got tough.
“The real strength behind everything we’ve built is our community. The people who walk through our doors every day, who support us, trust us, and grow with us. That trust means everything — and it’s something we protect and earn, every single day.
“Challenges? We welcome them. Pressure? We grow from it. Because every obstacle is just another opportunity to prove who we are.
“This is more than a store. This is a journey. This is resilience. This is family. And we’re just getting started.”
That journey has just been forced to hit pause for 90 days.
From November last year the NSW Government’s new closure order powers come into effect, allowing NSW Health to issue short-term closure orders of up to 90 days.
NSW Health Inspectors visit stores to check compliance including going undercover to check if illicit tobacco, illegal vaping goods or other illegal products containing nicotine are being sold.
Under the changes a closure order can be issued if a “NSW Health Secretary or delegate reasonably suspects, or a Local Court is satisfied a relevant breach has occurred, or is likely to occur, on the premises,” according to the NSW Health website.
“A relevant breach means: selling illicit tobacco, selling illegal vaping goods, retailing tobacco products or non-tobacco smoking products without a retail licence, wholesaling tobacco products or non-tobacco smoking products without a wholesale licence.”
The situation of Australia and NSW’s legal/ illegal nicotine industry mess is no secret. Legal tobacco is ridiculously expensive due to high taxing which is regularly increased, causing the illegal ‘under the counter’ nicotine industry to flourish.
A NSW Police spokesman added “while police may assist with this, enforcement of illegal tobacco is [a] NSW Health job.”
“NSW Police Force will continue to provide support to NSW Health and other regulatory agencies to ensure compliance around illicit tobacco.”
In a statement to News.com.au, NSW Health said they issued a “short-term closure order for 90 days to two locations on Redfern street on 28 April 2026 for selling illicit tobacco”.
“Closure orders allow NSW Health, in collaboration with NSW Police, to take action against retailers (suspected of) selling illicit tobacco, or illegal vaping goods, or selling tobacco or non-tobacco smoking products without a valid licence.”
The spokesperson said once a closure order is issued it was an offence to enter the premises or sell any products from the premises for the period of the closure order.
It is not suggested anyone has entered the premises or sold products from the premises after the orders.
“NSW Health actively enforces tobacco retailing legislation using an information and
intelligence led risk-based approach. A closure of premises is one regulatory tool
available.
“NSW Health draws on multiple intelligence sources, including reports from the public,
information from law enforcement partners, and its own compliance holdings, to inform
both targeted and broad enforcement activities across the state.”
The spokesperson said of 24 April , 214 short term closure orders had been issued,
“Members of the public can lodge complaints about retailers they believe are doing the wrong thing via the reporting portal on the NSW Health website.”
At the time of writing, Sedda has not responded to news.com.au’s request for comment.
