Philippines Seizes $21 Million in Counterfeit Goods, Including Kylinbar E-Cigarettes

Mar.13.2025
Philippines Seizes $21 Million in Counterfeit Goods, Including Kylinbar E-Cigarettes
Philippine Customs has sealed a warehouse holding counterfeit goods, including Kylinbar disposable e-cigarettes, valued at approximately 1.2 billion pesos ($21 million). The warehouse operator could face charges.

Key Points:

 

1. A warehouse in the Philippines was raided and found to contain $12 billion pesos ($210 million) worth of suspected illegal e-cigarettes and counterfeit goods.

 

2. The products seized involved the Kylinbar brand of disposable e-cigarettes.

 

3. The warehouse management party may face legal charges if they fail to provide legal import documentation within 15 days.

 


 

2Firsts, reporting from Shenzhen - The Philippine Bureau of Customs (BOC) seized a warehouse in Malabon City, allegedly storing approximately 1.2 billion pesos ($21 million) worth of suspicious illegal e-cigarettes and counterfeit goods.

 

Bienvenido Rubio, the Customs Commissioner, stated at a press conference on Wednesday that the items seized included disposable e-cigarettes, shoes, bags, and cosmetics.

 

Verne Enciso, Director of the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS), said that upon receiving authorization from the Customs Director, they immediately went to a warehouse in Malabon City. 

 

The CIIS team and investigators from the Manila International Container Port (MICP) found disposable e-cigarettes from Kylinbar in the warehouse without labels from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

 

The investigation team temporarily sealed the warehouse and planed to conduct an inventory of the items with customs inspectors, CIIS, the Enforcement and Security Service (ESS), and warehouse representatives. 

 

Warehouse operators were required to provide documents proving the legal acquisition and tax payment of imported goods within 15 days of receiving the authorization letter, or face potential charges under Articles 1113, 117, and 1400 of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA)


They may also face charges under the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines or Republic Act 8293.

 

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

Juul Sublicense Reshapes Vuse Alto Patent Bill as Court Ends R.J. Reynolds’ 5.25% Royalty Obligation to Altria
Juul Sublicense Reshapes Vuse Alto Patent Bill as Court Ends R.J. Reynolds’ 5.25% Royalty Obligation to Altria
According to Law360 on August 31, 2026, a federal judge in North Carolina ruled that a patent sublicense between R.J. Reynolds Vapor Co. and Juul Labs Inc. relieves Reynolds of its obligation to continue paying royalties to Altria Client Services LLC over Vuse Alto. A jury had previously found that Vuse Alto infringed three Altria patents and awarded approximately $95.2 million in past damages, after which Reynolds was ordered to pay an ongoing royalty equal to 5.25% of positive net sales. The new ruling finds that a valid sublicense can eliminate future infringement, potentially ending what Altria described as hundreds of millions of dollars in future royalties.
Sep.01
AIR Global Starts Debt Refinancing Four Months After Nasdaq Listing With About $400 Million Notes Expected
AIR Global Starts Debt Refinancing Four Months After Nasdaq Listing With About $400 Million Notes Expected
AIR Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of AIR Global, has launched an offering of U.S. dollar-denominated senior unsecured notes, with proceeds primarily intended to repay its existing term loan and revolving credit facility. AIR has not disclosed the final size, maturity or coupon; Refinitiv, citing Moody's, reported an expected issuance of approximately $400 million and a Ba3 rating. AIR had about $412.4 million outstanding under the two bank facilities at June 30 and net debt of $344.8 million. In the first half of 2026, AIR's Al Fakher-led flavored shisha molasses business generated about 99% of company revenue, while New Growth Categories including Crown Switch produced $2.2 million in revenue and remained loss-making on an adjusted EBITDA basis.
Sep.23
Gallery | InterTabac 2026 Opens as VAPORESSO, SKE, GREENTANK, GEEK BAR and Other Brands Take the Floor
Gallery | InterTabac 2026 Opens as VAPORESSO, SKE, GREENTANK, GEEK BAR and Other Brands Take the Floor
InterTabac 2026 opened in Dortmund, Germany, on September 15 alongside NUBIZ and InterSupply. According to the latest figures released by the organizer, the three trade shows bring together around 750 exhibitors from 64 countries. On site, 2Firsts observed vaping and related brands including VAPORESSO, DOJO, SKE, GREENTANK, GEEK BAR, HQD and ELUX.
Special Report
Sep.15
Germany Probes 7.6 Million Illegal Vape Case With Estimated €33.3 Million Tax Loss; Four Chinese Manufacturer Employees Under Investigation, Some Packaging in Enforcement Images Resembles FUMOT Products
Germany Probes 7.6 Million Illegal Vape Case With Estimated €33.3 Million Tax Loss; Four Chinese Manufacturer Employees Under Investigation, Some Packaging in Enforcement Images Resembles FUMOT Products
German prosecutors and customs authorities are conducting a criminal investigation into an alleged cross-border organised vape network. Authorities say that between January 2024 and March 2025, four employees of an unnamed Chinese e-cigarette manufacturer allegedly built a network of sales agents and wholesalers that brought more than 7.6 million nicotine disposable vapes into Germany, causing an estimated €33.3 million in excise-tax losses. The manufacturer has not been named. Some products visible in enforcement images have packaging resembling products from FUMOT’s portfolio. European regulatory records from 2024, FUMOT’s public overseas-sales materials and records involving German vape importer and distribution company Zamu-Pro GmbH also show FUMOT/RandM products and German distribution activity during the period covered by the investigation.
Sep.21
Kantar Study Finds More Than 93% of Vape Products in Ukraine Fail Regulatory Requirements
Kantar Study Finds More Than 93% of Vape Products in Ukraine Fail Regulatory Requirements
According to Interfax-Ukraine, a study conducted by market research firm Kantar Ukraine at the request of major tobacco companies found that more than 93% of vape products in Ukraine did not fully comply with regulatory requirements. The research examined product categories, brand distribution and consumer purchasing channels, showing that pod systems and disposable vapes represent major segments of the market, while offline retail remains the dominant purchasing channel. The findings highlight ongoing compliance challenges in Ukraine’s vape market.
Aug.26
Reynolds Seeks to Join Altria Lawsuit Challenging FDA PMTA Rule and Calculation of 180-Day Deadline
Reynolds Seeks to Join Altria Lawsuit Challenging FDA PMTA Rule and Calculation of 180-Day Deadline
Three R.J. Reynolds companies are seeking to intervene in a lawsuit filed by Altria subsidiaries Helix Innovations and NJOY challenging the FDA's 2021 PMTA final rule. The companies dispute how the agency uses Acceptance and Filing reviews and completeness determinations to establish when the Tobacco Control Act's 180-day decision period begins. Reynolds has also linked prolonged PMTA reviews to competition from unauthorized vaping products. The FDA, meanwhile, has been accelerating reviews and reducing its backlog.
Sep.14