FDA and CBP Seize $76 Million in Illegal Vapes Sent From China

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The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) seized $76 million worth of unauthorized e-cigarette shipments from China.

About 3 million units of illegal vapes were confiscated, according to the FDA.
According to the agency, the seizures resulted from a joint operation in July focused on inspecting incoming shipments and preventing unauthorized e-cigarettes from entering the United States.

“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,” said FDA Commissioner Robert M. Califf, M.D. “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.”

Stock image of a woman vaping. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) seized $76 million worth of unauthorized e-cigarette shipments from China. 

John Keeble/Getty

The FDA and the Department of Justice announced a joint federal task force in June with the goal of “curbing the distribution and sale of illegal e-cigarettes.”

The FDA threatened to seize products after issuing warning letters to online retailers in July selling unauthorized e-cigarette products under the brands Geek Bar, Lost Mary, and Bang.

“CBP’s trade enforcement mission places a significant emphasis on intercepting illicit products that could harm American consumers,” said Troy A. 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.”

Federal officials reviewed shipping invoices, identified “potentially violative” incoming shipments, and conducted additional investigations before the recent massive vape seizure, according to a statement issued by the FDA.

Officials discovered various brands of illegal e-cigarettes during the recent seizure, the agency said.

To avoid duties, the illegal vapes were intentionally mislabeled, including from Geek Bar and other brands, the FDA said.

According to the agency, the unauthorized e-cigarettes are not connected to the real vaping products and even contain incorrect values.

The products seized by federal authorities will be disposed of in accordance with U.S. Customs and Border Protection authorities.

“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,” said Brian King, Ph.D., M.P.H., director of the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products. “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.”

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data, 1.63 million (5.9%) youth in 2024 American high school students were using e-cigarettes nationwide.

In 2024, 2.25 million middle and high school students reported using any tobacco product, down from 2.80 million in 2023. This decrease was primarily due to a significant reduction in the number of students reporting current e-cigarette use, which fell from 2.13 million in 2023 to 1.63 million in 2024.

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