2Firsts, December 1, 2025 — The Guangzhou Tobacco Monopoly Bureau, in cooperation with local police, has uncovered the city’s first illegal manufacturing case involving new tobacco products, according to a report by the East Tobacco Newspaper’s video channel.
Authorities seized a batch of counterfeit oral nicotine products — including both finished and semi-finished items — along with production machinery and raw materials. The case is valued at approximately 400,000 yuan (about USD 55,000), and two suspects have been taken into custody.
Video footage released by authorities shows that the counterfeit products featured market brands such as VELO, ZYN, and PABLO. VELO is a brand under British American Tobacco, while ZYN belongs to Philip Morris International.
East Tobacco Newspaper is the official media outlet of the China State Tobacco Monopoly Administration, and Guangzhou is a major foreign trade hub located adjacent to Shenzhen.
The case follows an earlier report by 2Firsts in October, when China Customs seized 265,140 boxes of oral nicotine pouches in Ningbo and Huangpu over suspected trademark infringement and violations of tobacco export regulations. （Related reading：China Customs Seizes Over 265K Oral Nicotine Pouches; ‘ZYN’ and Unbranded Products Flagged for IP Violations）
The seized goods included both “ZYN”-branded and unbranded products. Customs officials found undeclared and concealed shipments, confirmed potential infringement with the trademark rightsholder, and noted that oral nicotine pouches are classified as tobacco products in China, requiring a Tobacco Monopoly transport permit and an export licence. The batches were confiscated under the Customs Law and intellectual property protection regulations.
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