Birmingham City Council seizes millions worth of illegal goods

Jan.23.2025
Birmingham City Council seizes millions worth of illegal goods
Birmingham City Council seizes nearly £6 million worth of illegal e-cigarettes and tobacco products.

According to a report by Birmingham Mail on January 21st, the Birmingham City Council recently seized e-cigarettes, tobacco, and other goods worth nearly £6 million.


Since its launch in September 2024, the city council has seized nearly £5.7 million worth of goods from stores across the city, including 10,374 illegal e-cigarettes, 236 large bottles of nitrous oxide and related materials, 18,916 packs of cigarettes (totaling 378,320 cigarettes), 2,730 packs of tobacco, class B drugs, 187 packs of unlicensed snuff, and thousands of unlicensed pills.


Nicky Brennan, a cabinet member responsible for social justice, community safety, and equality affairs, stated:


There is cause for concern as we have now discovered that e-cigarettes can deliver up to over 18,000 puffs, far exceeding the legal limit of 600 puffs for 2 milligrams of nicotine. The use of illegal e-cigarettes by young people can jeopardize their long-term health, and in recent months we have already seen some alarming consequences. We will continue to work with the West Midlands County police to crack down on illegal sales.


We welcome news tips, article submissions, interview requests, or comments on this piece.

Please contact us at info@2firsts.com, or reach out to Alan Zhao, CEO of 2Firsts, on LinkedIn


Notice

1.  This article is intended solely for professional research purposes related to industry, technology, and policy. Any references to brands or products are made purely for objective description and do not constitute any form of endorsement, recommendation, or promotion by 2Firsts.

2.  The use of nicotine-containing products — including, but not limited to, cigarettes, e-cigarettes, nicotine pouchand heated tobacco products — carries significant health risks. Users are responsible for complying with all applicable laws and regulations in their respective jurisdictions.

3.  This article is not intended to serve as the basis for any investment decisions or financial advice. 2Firsts assumes no direct or indirect liability for any inaccuracies or errors in the content.

4.  Access to this article is strictly prohibited for individuals below the legal age in their jurisdiction.

 

Copyright

 

This article is either an original work created by 2Firsts or a reproduction from third-party sources with proper attribution. All copyrights and usage rights belong to 2Firsts or the original content provider. Unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or any other form of unauthorized use by any individual or organization is strictly prohibited. Violators will be held legally accountable.

For copyright-related inquiries, please contact: info@2firsts.com

 

AI Assistance Disclaimer

 

This article may have been enhanced using AI tools to improve translation and editorial efficiency. However, due to technical limitations, inaccuracies may occur. Readers are encouraged to refer to the cited sources for the most accurate information.

We welcome any corrections or feedback. Please contact us at: info@2firsts.com

Kelly White Bets on Female Consumers as Nicotine Pouch Competition Intensifies | 2Firsts Interview
Kelly White Bets on Female Consumers as Nicotine Pouch Competition Intensifies | 2Firsts Interview
Swedish nicotine pouch brand Kelly White is building its strategy around adult female consumers. Founder and CEO Sophia Wilsby told 2Firsts that women accounted for around 70% of the brand’s repeat customers on HAYPP in Sweden in 2025. The interview explores female consumer segmentation, product and design differentiation, gender stereotypes, packaging regulation, and how independent brands can compete with global players such as ZYN and VELO while considering funding, partnerships and future ownership options.
Business
Sep.24
Product | R.J. Reynolds Launches Four Flavored Vuse Pro Pods for Vuse Alto Devices in U.S.
Product | R.J. Reynolds Launches Four Flavored Vuse Pro Pods for Vuse Alto Devices in U.S.
R.J. Reynolds Vapor Company has introduced Vuse Pro prefilled pods in Peach, Berry, Watermelon and Fresh Mint in selected U.S. states. Vuse’s U.S. website says the pods are intended for use with existing Vuse Alto devices. Each contains 2.0 mL of e-liquid at 5.0% nicotine by weight, uses nicotine salts and is offered in two- and four-pod packs. Reynolds said the rollout includes mandatory ID scanning for every purchase, purchase limits, stronger retailer-accountability requirements and strict age-restricted marketing standards. The four pods have not received marketing authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Sep.10
Imperial Brands Sees Double-Digit NGP Growth as Sixth Year of Tobacco Revenue Gains Backs £1.5 Billion Buyback
Imperial Brands Sees Double-Digit NGP Growth as Sixth Year of Tobacco Revenue Gains Backs £1.5 Billion Buyback
Imperial Brands reaffirmed its FY26 guidance in its October 8 pre-close trading update, forecasting double-digit net revenue growth in next-generation products and share gains across heated tobacco, vape and modern oral. Tobacco net revenue is expected to grow at a low-single-digit rate, marking a sixth consecutive year of growth. The company has completed its £1.45 billion FY26 share repurchase and announced a £1.5 billion buyback for FY27. Group adjusted operating profit is expected to increase 3% to 5%, while free cash flow is forecast to exceed £2.2 billion.
Oct.09
China’s Vape-Related Exports Rose 4.5% in Q3 2026 as 21.6% Growth in Shipments to the UK Offset a Decline in Shipments to the US
China’s Vape-Related Exports Rose 4.5% in Q3 2026 as 21.6% Growth in Shipments to the UK Offset a Decline in Shipments to the US
China's vape-related exports rose 4.5% year over year to $2.86 billion in the third quarter of 2026, led by stronger shipments to the United Kingdom as exports to the United States declined. UK-bound shipments increased 21.6%, adding $81.9 million, while US exports fell 5.2%, or $53.6 million. Growth weakened through the quarter, with September exports down 6.3% globally and 37.8% to the US. Nicotine-containing vape products accounted for more than 82% of the quarterly net increase, while device exports were nearly flat. Nine-month exports totaled $7.82 billion, up 4.0%.
DATA
Oct.26
German Customs Seize 115,800 Vapes in €1.4 Million Tax Case
German Customs Seize 115,800 Vapes in €1.4 Million Tax Case
Germany's Magdeburg Main Customs Office seized 115,800 untaxed e-cigarettes containing a combined 4.366 million mL of e-liquid during four truck inspections between August 10 and September 4, 2026. The seizures prevented an estimated €1.397 million in tax losses and set a record for the customs office's jurisdiction. Criminal proceedings have been initiated against four truck drivers. The case follows a separate German investigation involving more than 7.6 million illicit vapes and an estimated €33.3 million in excise-tax losses.
Enforcement
Oct.13
U.S. Customs Plan to Require Foreign Export Declarations Could Deal ‘Devastating’ Blow to China’s Vape Exports, Logistics gl Expert Says
U.S. Customs Plan to Require Foreign Export Declarations Could Deal ‘Devastating’ Blow to China’s Vape Exports, Logistics gl Expert Says
A U.S. Customs and Border Protection proposal to collect foreign export declarations and other overseas customs documents could expose discrepancies in the value, classification and description of China-made vape shipments entering the United States. A veteran Chinese logistics professional told 2Firsts that the measure, if implemented, could undermine the all-inclusive shipping model used by some unauthorized vape exporters and push parts of the trade toward costlier underground channels. The risk extends beyond higher duties: accurately declared products may also be more readily identified as unauthorized e-cigarettes subject to FDA enforcement.
Special Report
Sep.07