cURL Error: 0 $76 MILLION WORTH OF ILLEGAL E- CIGARETTES SEIZED BY FEDS – Hemispherica Vigilance Group, LLC Skip to main content
Blog

$76 MILLION WORTH OF ILLEGAL E- CIGARETTES SEIZED BY FEDS

By November 19, 2025No Comments
[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overflow=”visible” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_direction_desktop=”default” column_element_spacing=”default” desktop_text_alignment=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_backdrop_filter=”none” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” column_position=”default” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced the seizure of $76 million worth of illegal e- cigarettes.

 

 

Jonathan Limehouse

USA TODAY

22 October 2024

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized $76 million worth of unauthorized e-cigarettes, the federal agencies announced.

The seizure announced Tuesday involved about 3 million units of illegal e-cigarettes,

the FDA said in a news release. The seizures stemmed from a July joint operation aimed at examining incoming shipments and preventing the e-cigarettes from entering the country, according to the agency.

“The FDA is on high alert and, in coordination with our federal partners, remains committed to stopping unauthorized e-cigarettes at our nation’s borders,” FDA Commissioner Robert M. Califf said in the release. “These products too often end up in kids’ hands, and the newly formed federal task force is well positioned to collectively combat this unscrupulous activity.”

The FDA and Department of Justice announced the joint federal task force in June to “curb the distribution and sale of illegal e-cigarettes.”

In July, the FDA had threatened seizing products when it issued warning letters to online retailers selling unauthorized e-cigarette items under the brand names Geek Bar, Lost Mary and Bang.

“(U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s) trade enforcement mission places a significant emphasis on intercepting illicit products that could harm American consumers,” said Troy

  1. Miller, Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Commissioner for CBP. “We will continue to work with our enforcement partners to identify and seize unsafe and unlawful goods.”

Months before the seizure of the e-cigarettes, the team reviewed shipping invoices, identified “potentially violative” incoming shipments and completed other investigative work, according to the FDA’s release. While examining the shipments, which all originated in China, the team found various brands of illegal e-cigarettes, the agency said.

To evade duties and detection, the unauthorized e-cigarettes were intentionally misbranded as actual vaping products, including from Geek Bar and others, the FDA said. The illegal e-cigarettes did not have any connections to the real vaping products and even contained incorrect values, according to the agency.[/vc_column_text][image_with_animation image_url=”661″ image_size=”full” animation_type=”entrance” animation=”None” animation_movement_type=”transform_y” hover_animation=”none” alignment=”” border_radius=”none” box_shadow=”none” image_loading=”default” max_width=”100%” max_width_mobile=”default”][vc_column_text css=”” text_direction=”default”]All government-seized and forfeited products will be disposed of in accordance with U.S. Customs and Border Protection authorities, the FDA said.

“This isn’t the first joint seizure operation, and it won’t be the last – we will continue to relentlessly pursue those attempting to smuggle illegal e-cigarettes,” Brian King, director of the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products, said in the release. “The $76 million these bad actors just put in the dumpster should be a sobering reminder that their time and money would be better spent complying with the law.”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Leave a Reply