Chinese customs officials have seized more than 500,000 vaping products — about $100 million worth — after Beijing enacted a law banning the production and export of electronic cigarettes.
The products were confiscated in Shenzhen and Hong Kong by customs and border agents.
“These electronic cigarettes pose a serious security threat and jeopardize our economic safety, harming legitimate tobacco companies that invest significant time and effort into developing and protecting their brands,” said Wang Xia, director of field operations protection at China’s customs and border authority, in a statement Monday.
Reports say e-cigarettes are still being produced for shipment abroad, and many brands are already planning to move operations to Vietnam or the Philippines despite higher labor costs.
Earlier this month, the Chinese government warned manufacturers to cease operations entirely amid ongoing concerns about the future of the country’s tobacco industry and declining sales in recent years.
The China Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is investigating several companies that manufacture or sell electronic cigarettes. In a statement last week, CPSC Chairman Bao said all e-cigarette manufacturers must halt operations or face consequences.
On Tuesday, Shenzhen banned the use of electronic cigarettes in the city. In a statement the same day, Jang Lao said, “Anyone caught with an e-cigarette will face hefty fines and possible detention!”
“The safety and protection of our industry and employees has always been our top concern,” said Long Dong, chief officer of the Xinsha Tobacco Authority, in a statement. “For obvious reasons, it is not safe to use e-cigarettes or other vape-related products. We are equally concerned about the fire risks posed by devices that create hazards in confined spaces such as buses, trains, and carriages.”
