CBP, FDA seize USD86.5m in e-cigarettes
In September, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have completed the largest-ever seizure of unauthorized e-cigarette products in Chicago. Over one week, officers intercepted nearly 4.7 million units, valued at more than USD 86.5m, most of them originating from China and bound for U.S. markets. The operation, months in planning, targeted violations ranging from missing FDA authorisations to hazardous materials labelling breaches.
CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott called the findings "alarming," warning of the dangers posed by unregulated imports. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. underlined that the crackdown is part of a wider strategy to combat youth vaping. To date in 2025, joint operations have stopped more than 6m illegal e-cigarettes worth USD 120m from entering the US. (ah)