US Customs Seizes 53,700 Illegal Flavored Vape Pens

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in Chicago recently seized 53,700 electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) for violating the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act).

The shipment, originating from China, was destined for a wholesaler in Mississippi, according to a CBP release.

The vaping pens were inspected by CBP and the FDA, and it was determined that the shipment violated the FD&C Act as it consisted of adulterated consumer goods being imported by an unauthorized agent. On June 10, the FDA announced the establishment of a federal multi-agency task force to combat the illegal distribution and sale of e-cigarettes.

“Our officers are dedicated to identifying and intercepting these types of shipments that could potentially harm the health and wellbeing of people within our communities,” said LaFonda Sutton-Burke, Direction Field Operations, Chicago Field Officer. “Customs and Border Protection’s trade enforcement mission places a significant emphasis on intercepting illicit products that could harm American consumers, and we will continue to work with our consumer product safety partners to identify and seize unsafe and illicit goods.”

The 179 boxes were mislabeled as electronic atomizers, a common practice used to smuggle unapproved goods into the U.S. CBP presumes the products were being sent to a wholesaler for wider distribution throughout the country. CBP continues to work diligently to stop non-legitimate products from entering the U.S. The ENDs had a combined Manufacturer’s Suggest Retail Price of over $1.08 million.