ELFBAR & LOST MARY Unite to Combat Counterfeit: 50K+ Counterfeit Vapes Seized Globally, 30+ Lawsuits Filed

Apr.25.2025
ELFBAR & LOST MARY Unite to Combat Counterfeit: 50K+ Counterfeit Vapes Seized Globally, 30+ Lawsuits Filed
E-cigarette brands ELFBAR and LOST MARY revealed that joint anti-counterfeiting operations in countries including the Czech Republic, Germany, and Russia have led to the seizure of over 50,000 counterfeit vaping products. Additionally, since 2024, the companies have filed more than 30 civil lawsuits against counterfeiters in regions spanning the Chinese mainland, Germany, Russia, and other markets.

Key points:

1.The e-cigarette brands ELFBAR and LOST MARY have collaborated with law enforcement agencies worldwide in the past few months to seize at least 50,000 counterfeit products.

 

2.Since 2024, more than 30 intellectual property lawsuits have been filed in countries such as China, Germany, and Russia.

 

3.On April 9, 2025, a German court ruled that the "ELFPRO" trademark infringed upon the trademark rights of ELFBAR.


According to a report by Reuters on April 24, 2025, e-cigarette brands ELFBAR and LOST MARY stated that they have conducted a joint anti-counterfeiting operation in markets such as the Czech Republic, Germany, Russia, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, and the UAE over the past few months, seizing over 50,000 counterfeit products.

 

The report mentioned that in a cross-border law enforcement operation in the border area between Germany and the Czech Republic, more than 30 retailers were found selling counterfeit ELFBA e-cigarettes.

 

LFBAR and LOST MARY stated that they are continuously using legal means, including filing lawsuits, arbitration, and demanding platforms to take down infringing products, to combat intellectual property infringement.

 

Since 2024, ELFBAR and LOST MARY have initiated over 30 civil lawsuits in mainland China, Germany, Russia, and other locations. On April 9, 2025, a German court ruled that the "ELFPRO" trademark infringed upon ELFBAR's trademark rights and could potentially lead to consumer confusion.

 

In addition, the two brands have resolved 119 domain name disputes through arbitration, and have won cases in both the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre and the World Intellectual Property Organization. Nearly 300 suspected infringing webpage links have been successfully removed globally, including the closure of two counterfeit websites and eight links selling infringing products in the United States.

 

The anti-counterfeiting operation of ELFBAR and LOST MARY was launched in June 2021. The brand said they continue to cooperate with law enforcement agencies in various countries to jointly combat counterfeit products.

 

According to reports, ELFBAR and LOST MARY assisted law enforcement in shutting down 15 factories suspected of producing counterfeit products in 2024, and seized over 90,000 counterfeit e-cigarettes. In June 2024, Vietnamese law enforcement agencies conducted a joint raid after coordinating with them, seizing over 160,000 e-cigarettes, including a large quantity of counterfeit LOST MARY products.

 

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

UK PM Andy Burnham Reshapes Vape Retail Rules as Licensing Could Raise Barriers for New Shops
UK PM Andy Burnham Reshapes Vape Retail Rules as Licensing Could Raise Barriers for New Shops
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham is pushing a high street reform agenda that could give local authorities greater powers over commercial activity, including vape retail. The reforms could involve expanded planning powers and a potential vape retail licensing system, allowing councils to play a larger role in store locations and market access. The measures are part of the UK’s broader shift toward tighter vape regulation, although no nationwide vape retail restrictions have yet been implemented.
Aug.11
Former Roche Neuroscience and Rare Diseases Communications Director Ria Kioupritzi Joins PMI as Scientific Affairs Director
Former Roche Neuroscience and Rare Diseases Communications Director Ria Kioupritzi Joins PMI as Scientific Affairs Director
Eleftheria (Ria) Kioupritzi, a biopharmaceutical professional with more than 15 years of experience, has joined Philip Morris International as Director Scientific Affairs within Corporate Affairs. She previously served at Roche as Senior Scientific Communications Director for Neuroscience and Rare Diseases and worked extensively in spinal muscular atrophy. Her earlier career also covered competitive intelligence, clinical and regulatory monitoring, pipeline development and launch preparation. During her time working in Roche's SMA field, Evrysdi passed through several U.S. FDA milestones, including its initial approval, an expanded indication for younger infants and approval of a tablet formulation. Public records do not show that Kioupritzi herself led the FDA submissions.
Sep.22
Cochrane 2026 Update Adds Nine Trials, Keeps High-Certainty Finding That Nicotine E-Cigarettes Improve Quit Rates Over NRT
Cochrane 2026 Update Adds Nine Trials, Keeps High-Certainty Finding That Nicotine E-Cigarettes Improve Quit Rates Over NRT
Cochrane’s 2026 update of its living review on electronic cigarettes for smoking cessation included 80 randomized controlled trials involving 29,861 adult smokers, with nine trials added in this update. The review retained its high-certainty conclusion that nicotine e-cigarettes increase smoking cessation rates compared with nicotine replacement therapy. In absolute terms, about 10 in 100 people using nicotine e-cigarettes may quit smoking for at least six months, compared with about 6 in 100 using NRT. The review found no clear difference in serious adverse event rates between the two groups, while longer-term safety and the relative effectiveness of newer device types remain less certain.
Sep.07
China Tobacco Plans CNY 60 Billion Investment in ICBC, Agricultural Bank as Strategic Ties Extend Beyond Equity
China Tobacco Plans CNY 60 Billion Investment in ICBC, Agricultural Bank as Strategic Ties Extend Beyond Equity
China National Tobacco Corporation and several subsidiaries plan to invest a combined CNY 60 billion ($8.7 billion) in share placements by Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and Agricultural Bank of China as strategic investors. The agreements extend beyond equity investment to corporate governance, banking services and supply-chain finance. The filings also disclose 2025 data on China Tobacco’s tax and profit contributions and industry scale.
Sep.07
After Apple Business Decline, South Korea’s ITM Semiconductor Expands KT&G Vape Supply Chain as Vape Revenue Rises 24.8%
After Apple Business Decline, South Korea’s ITM Semiconductor Expands KT&G Vape Supply Chain as Vape Revenue Rises 24.8%
South Korean electronics component supplier ITM Semiconductor is reshaping its business portfolio after a decline in Apple-related protection circuit business, expanding its supply of vape devices and cartridges to KT&G. According to News1 on August 18, 2026, ITM’s vape-related revenue rose 24.8% year on year to 75.5 billion won in the first half of 2026. The company began mass production of vape devices at its Cikarang, Indonesia facility in January 2026, strengthening export manufacturing capacity. Meanwhile, Samsung-related protection circuit sales continued to grow, providing support during the transition.
Aug.20
2FIRSTS EXCLUSIVE|China Breaks Up $6.8 Million Illegal Hookah Tobacco Operation as Market Expands
2FIRSTS EXCLUSIVE|China Breaks Up $6.8 Million Illegal Hookah Tobacco Operation as Market Expands
Chinese authorities have dismantled an illegal hookah tobacco operation worth more than 46 million yuan ($6.8 million), detaining five foreign suspects and seizing over 500,000 boxes of tobacco paste. The case comes as hookah expands across China’s nightlife sector and attracts overseas operators, including former vaping entrepreneurs. It also raises a central regulatory question: whether waterpipe tobacco will follow China’s private-sector e-cigarette licensing model or be reserved for the state tobacco system, as with nicotine pouches, in the years ahead.
Jul.31