Kazakhstan Customs Seizes 155.8 Tons of E-cigarettes Worth 13.6 Million USD

News by 2FIRSTS.ai
Jul.04.2023
Kazakhstan Customs Seizes 155.8 Tons of E-cigarettes Worth 13.6 Million USD
Kazakhstan customs in Aktobe discovered and seized 155.8 tons of illegal e-cigarettes and accessories worth 6.1 billion tenge (18.4 million USD).

On July 3rd, according to a report by Kazakhstan media outlet Turantimes, officials from the Zetisu Customs, located on the border with China, seized a total of 155.8 tons of e-cigarettes and related accessories, valued at 6.1 billion tenge (approximately 13.6 million USD). The Zetisu Customs, in collaboration with officials from the Ministry of Economy, conducted inspections of goods and vehicles at the Alakur checkpoint, resulting in the discovery of a significant quantity of illegally imported disposable e-cigarettes, e-cigarette liquid, and e-cigarette accessories.

 

The Zetisu Customs stated that the confiscated goods and vehicles did not provide valid documentation and failed to declare the imported goods, which violates the relevant regulations in the customs field of the Eurasian Economic Union.

 

According to reports, a total of eight trucks entered the Alakol customs station in Kazakhstan from China between March 1 to 6, 2023.

 

According to Article 154 of the Customs Code of Kazakhstan, the carrier's failure to promptly notify the customs authorities of the arrival of goods and to submit the necessary documentation constitutes a violation of Articles 524 and 531 of the Administrative Code of Kazakhstan.

 

During customs inspection of goods and vehicles, a total weight of 155.8 tons of e-cigarettes and accessories was discovered. According to experts' assessment, the total value of the goods reached 6.1 billion tenge (13.6 million USD) and an estimated 1.9 billion Janko (4.25 million USD) in customs duty and taxes are expected to be paid.

 

According to on-site photos provided by the Zetisu Customs, the confiscated e-cigarettes were found to have packaging featuring logos of brands such as HQD and INFLAVE.

 

These seized items have been handed over to the Zetisu Regional Economic Investigation Department for further procedural action.

 

References: 【1】Электронные сигареты на 6 млрд тенге изъяли в Жетысу

 

This document has been generated through artificial intelligence translation and is provided solely for the purposes of industry discourse and learning. Please note that the intellectual property rights of the content belong to the original media source or author. Owing to certain limitations in the translation process, there may be discrepancies between the translated text and the original content. We recommend referring to the original source for complete accuracy. In case of any inaccuracies, we invite you to reach out to us with corrections. If you believe any content has infringed upon your rights, please contact us immediately for its removal.

UK Tobacco and Vapes Bill Enters House of Lords Report Stage
UK Tobacco and Vapes Bill Enters House of Lords Report Stage
The Tobacco and Vapes Bill has entered the report stage in the UK House of Lords, with further examination scheduled to begin on February 24, 2026. The legislation aims to create the first “smoke-free generation” by ensuring that individuals who are 15 years old or younger in 2026 can never legally be sold tobacco.
Regulations
Feb.22
South Korea online purchasing fuels spread among younger groups; online drug cases share climbs
South Korea online purchasing fuels spread among younger groups; online drug cases share climbs
Police said detections of new drugs disguised as e-cigarettes reached 1,206 cases through September last year, up from 941 in 2022, and the number of detected drug types increased from 26 to 33 over the same period.
Feb.11 by 2FIRSTS.ai
Russia’s Rostov Region Eyes Full Vape Sales Ban, Signals Tighter Tobacco Retail Rules
Russia’s Rostov Region Eyes Full Vape Sales Ban, Signals Tighter Tobacco Retail Rules
Russia’s Rostov region is preparing to pursue a region-wide ban on vape sales and is also signaling support for broader regional powers to tighten tobacco retail rules. A regional lawmaker said the initiative aligns with a State Duma bill that would allow regions to impose vape sales bans—an initiative he said has presidential backing.
Jan.28 by 2FIRSTS.ai
Fourth Circuit denies rehearing bid over stay allowing Virginia e-cigarette rules to be enforced
Fourth Circuit denies rehearing bid over stay allowing Virginia e-cigarette rules to be enforced
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit has declined to grant en banc or other rehearing of its decision to stay an order that had blocked enforcement of certain Virginia e-cigarette regulations. In a brief order filed Tuesday, the court denied a rehearing petition by Nova Distro Inc. and Tobacco Hut and Vape Fairfax Inc., noting that no judge requested a poll on the petition.
Mar.05 by 2FIRSTS.ai
FDA Authorizes Glas Vape but Flavor Hopes Fall Short
FDA Authorizes Glas Vape but Flavor Hopes Fall Short
The FDA has added Glas products to its authorized electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) list, granting Marketing Granted Orders (MGOs) to the Glas G DEVICE and a BLONDE TOBACCO pod. The decision expands the number of FDA-authorized ENDS products to 41, marking the first new authorization since Juul’s approvals in July 2025. However, widely anticipated non-tobacco flavored products were not approved.
Mar.13
Singapore detected 59 large-scale vape smuggling cases in 2025, seizing about 230,000 items
Singapore detected 59 large-scale vape smuggling cases in 2025, seizing about 230,000 items
Singapore’s Ministry of Health said on Feb. 3 that authorities detected 59 large-scale vape smuggling cases in 2025 and seized about 230,000 vapes and accessories. Over the past two years, more than 10,000 online vape sale advertisements were removed, with about 99% linked to overseas platform posts. Enforcement includes bot-driven surveillance, public tip-offs, and site-blocking with partner agencies.
Feb.04 by 2FIRSTS.ai