North Brisbane man fined $20,000 for eBay alcohol sales
A North Brisbane man has been fined $20,000 in the Sandgate Magistrates Court for illegally selling large quantities of alcohol on eBay.
On Friday, 22 November 2019, Mr Shane Knowles was found guilty of breaching section 169 of the Liquor Act 1992 by selling alcohol to the value of $50,644.66 without a licence or permit.
Executive Director for the Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation (OLGR) Mike Sarquis, said it wasn’t the first time Mr Knowles’ activities had come to the attention of OLGR officers.
“Our investigators found that Mr Knowles had been illegally selling alcohol on eBay from September 2018 to April 2019,” Mr Sarquis said.
“Mr Knowles was told to stop selling alcohol after officers found the licence number he was using was not registered in Queensland, but was related to a permit held by a relative in Tasmania. As he was selling alcohol that was physically located in Queensland, this permit was not valid.
“This is the second breach for Mr Knowles as he was issued an infringement notice for the same offence in 2016.”
The Magistrate fined Mr Knowles $20,000 and a conviction was recorded.
Mr Sarquis said the outcome highlights that there is zero tolerance for the illegal sale or supply of alcohol.
“These laws are in place to ensure a fair approach to the sale and supply of liquor in Queensland and minimise the risk of alcohol-related harm, and it is disappointing that some choose to ignore them,” he said.
“I hope this serves as a reminder to those selling alcohol online that if they are trading without an appropriate licence or permit, they will be caught.”