Russian Customs Seize 160,000 Illicit Chinese E-Cigarettes

Feb.07.2023
Russian Customs Seize 160,000 Illicit Chinese E-Cigarettes
16k illegal e-cigarettes worth RUB 38 million seized by Russian customs from China.

Recently, the Belgorod Customs in Russia seized 160,000 counterfeit electronic cigarettes smuggled from China, valued at 38 million rubles (approximately 3.63 million yuan).


Oleg Lapin, deputy head of the customs office in Belgorod, stated that the electronic cigarettes confiscated contained more than 20 milligrams per milliliter of nicotine, which is a violation of tobacco laws and deemed illegal.


Currently, the seized items have been transferred to the regional land management bureaus of the federal state property management agencies in Kaluga, Bryansk, and Smolensk regions.



Disclaimer

This article is provided solely for professional research, industry discussion, and informational purposes. Any references to brands, companies, products, technologies, or policies are made for factual reporting and analytical purposes only, and do not constitute endorsement, recommendation, promotion, or advertising by 2Firsts.

Nicotine-containing products, including but not limited to cigarettes, e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and nicotine pouches, carry significant health risks. Readers are responsible for complying with all applicable laws and regulations in their respective jurisdictions, including age restrictions and access limitations.

The information contained in this article should not be regarded as investment, legal, medical, regulatory, or commercial advice. While 2Firsts strives to ensure the accuracy and reliability of its content, it does not assume liability for any direct or indirect loss arising from errors, omissions, inaccuracies, or reliance on the information contained herein.

This article is not intended for individuals below the legal age for accessing tobacco or nicotine-related information in their jurisdiction.

 

Copyright Notice

This article is either original content produced by 2Firsts or content reproduced, translated, summarized, or adapted from third-party sources with attribution where applicable. The intellectual property rights of the original content remain with 2Firsts or the respective original rights holders.

No individual or organization may copy, reproduce, distribute, republish, modify, translate, or otherwise use this content without prior authorization. Any unauthorized use may result in legal action.

For copyright-related inquiries, corrections, or removal requests, please contact: info@2firsts.com.

 

AI-Assisted Translation and Editing Notice

Portions of this article may have been translated, edited, or reviewed with the assistance of artificial intelligence tools to improve efficiency and readability. Due to the limitations of AI-assisted translation and editing, discrepancies, omissions, or inaccuracies may exist when compared with the original source.

Where applicable, readers are advised to refer to the original source for the most complete and accurate information. If you identify any errors or believe that any content infringes upon your rights, please contact us at info@2firsts.com, and we will review and address the matter promptly.

JT’s Ploom Volumes Rise 43.5% as Cigarettes Anchor Its Transition
JT’s Ploom Volumes Rise 43.5% as Cigarettes Anchor Its Transition
JT’s Ploom heated-tobacco volumes rose 43.5% in the first half of 2026, while combustibles still represented about 97% of its tobacco volume and remained the main earnings base. In Japan, reduced-risk products now account for 48.7% of industry shipments, shifting competition from category adoption towards brand share, pricing and consumer retention. JT’s results offer a revealing case of a traditional tobacco company pursuing a prolonged, dual-track transformation.
JTI
Jul.30
Nicotine Pouches Lead U.S. Tobacco Growth as Vape Sales Decline
Nicotine Pouches Lead U.S. Tobacco Growth as Vape Sales Decline
New convenience store industry data show nicotine pouches have become the primary growth driver in the tobacco category, with oral nicotine sales rising nearly 30% over the past year while vape sales declined.
Business
Jun.05
Reuters: Shopify May Ban All Vape Sales This Week Amid Illegal Market Crackdown
Reuters: Shopify May Ban All Vape Sales This Week Amid Illegal Market Crackdown
Reuters reported that Shopify may ban all vape products from its platform as soon as this week, signaling that U.S. enforcement against the illegal vape market is expanding from retailers and importers to e-commerce platforms and payment networks.
MarketBAT
Jun.23 by 2Firsts Perspectives
UK PM Andy Burnham Shifts Business Rates Policy, Supporting Hospitality While Raising Pressure on Vape Shops
UK PM Andy Burnham Shifts Business Rates Policy, Supporting Hospitality While Raising Pressure on Vape Shops
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s government is adjusting business rates policy to support hospitality businesses while some other sectors, including vape retailers, face higher operating cost pressures. According to Streamline Feed, AJ Bell and other reports, the policy shift reflects a redistribution of business rate burdens as the government seeks to support sectors facing economic pressure. For UK vape shops, the change comes amid a broader regulatory environment shaped by the disposable vape ban, the upcoming Vaping Products Duty and increased compliance requirements.
News
Jul.24
Special Report | China’s Tobacco Tax Debate Shifts Toward Tax Design as Policy Trade-offs Come Into Focus
Special Report | China’s Tobacco Tax Debate Shifts Toward Tax Design as Policy Trade-offs Come Into Focus
China’s tobacco tax debate is moving from whether to raise prices to how the tax system should be designed. At a Beijing forum on World No Tobacco Day, experts discussed higher specific excise taxes, minimum tax burdens and dynamic adjustments linked to income and inflation. The issue also connects to China’s broader consumption tax reform, health financing and chronic disease costs. Public reports did not mention e-cigarettes, heated tobacco, nicotine pouches or other new nicotine products.
Jun.11
Reemtsma says German illegal e-cigarette seizures reached 70% of 2025 total, pouches 179%
Reemtsma says German illegal e-cigarette seizures reached 70% of 2025 total, pouches 179%
Reemtsma said its first-half 2026 black-market tracker for tobacco and nicotine products showed a continued rise in officially reported seizures in Germany, with illegal e-cigarette seizures reaching 70% of the full-year 2025 level and snus and nicotine pouch seizures reaching 179% of last year’s total.
Jul.08