USPS Seizes and Destroys 3K Smuggled Cigarette Packages

Apr.10.2023
USPS Seizes and Destroys 3K Smuggled Cigarette Packages
USPS destroyed over 3,000 illegal cigarette packages, totaling about 10,000 cigarettes, since the beginning of 2022.

US Postal Service (USPS) officials have stated that since the beginning of this year, the agency has seized and destroyed over 3,000 foreign smuggled cigarette packages, totaling about 10,000 items. These cigarettes were intended to be shipped to Connecticut, New York and other states.


Connecticut Attorney General William Tong stated that this seizure is a result of a settlement agreement reached in August 2022 between USPS and several states. The agreement requires the postal service to destroy untaxed foreign cigarettes, rather than returning illegally-shipped packages to senders.


On April 6th, Tong announced that since early 2023, 44 out of 3000 cigarette packages originally intended for delivery to Connecticut have been destroyed.


According to Tong, over 3,000 cigarette packages were shipped primarily from China, Israel, and Russia to Connecticut, New York, and other states that have reached a settlement agreement with USPS - including California, Illinois, and Pennsylvania. Nearly 8,000 packs of cigarettes arrived in the United States through the international postal facility at John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens, New York.


According to the settlement agreement, the USPS is required to seize and destroy illegally mailed cigarette packages, report sender and recipient information to law enforcement agencies, and designate a manager responsible for ensuring compliance with these regulations.


References:


Officials announced that the United States Postal Service (USPS) has seized and destroyed over 3,000 foreign contraband cigarettes in the state of Connecticut, as well as in other states. This operation was carried out by USPS authorities.



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.

Product | PMI Introduces VEEV inPrime, Bringing an Induction Vaporization Platform to the Next Generation of the VEEV Portfolio
Product | PMI Introduces VEEV inPrime, Bringing an Induction Vaporization Platform to the Next Generation of the VEEV Portfolio
Philip Morris International (PMI) has introduced VEEV inPrime, the next-generation closed-system vape platform featuring the new AdvanceVape Induction System™. Alongside the new induction platform, PMI has redesigned the pods, e-liquid formulations and user interaction experience. According to PMI and official IQOS websites, VEEV inPrime began a phased European rollout between May and June 2026, with products now available in Greece, Estonia, the United Kingdom and Italy.
Jul.14
Korean component maker ITM Semiconductor says Indonesia unit starts e-cigarette device output as related Q1 revenue rises 55.4%
Korean component maker ITM Semiconductor says Indonesia unit starts e-cigarette device output as related Q1 revenue rises 55.4%
South Korea’s KOSDAQ-listed electronics-component maker ITM Semiconductor said its Indonesia subsidiary has begun full-scale mass production of e-cigarette devices, with first-quarter revenue from the business rising 55.4% year on year to 42.1 billion won, Maeil Business Newspaper reported.
Jul.08
Illegal Vape Sellers Still Use TikTok and Other Platforms to Drive Sales Despite Australia’s Ad Ban
Illegal Vape Sellers Still Use TikTok and Other Platforms to Drive Sales Despite Australia’s Ad Ban
Illegal vape sellers are still promoting nicotine products on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube despite Australia’s 2024 advertising ban, while illicit tobacco sales are increasingly moving from physical stores to online marketplaces.
Jul.15
UK Vaping Products Duty to Raise £565 Million by 2030/31
UK Vaping Products Duty to Raise £565 Million by 2030/31
The UK will introduce Vaping Products Duty on all vaping liquids from October 1, 2026, with government revenue forecast to rise from £135 million in 2026/27 to £565 million by 2030/31.
Jun.18
Nearly Half of Seoul Vape Vending Machines Bypassed by Fake IDs, Raising Youth Access Concerns
Nearly Half of Seoul Vape Vending Machines Bypassed by Fake IDs, Raising Youth Access Concerns
Seoul city authorities inspected 339 tobacco vending machines at e-cigarette retailers and found that 168, or 49.5%, allowed purchases using fake IDs, showing that unmanned retail terminals and adult-verification systems remain a major enforcement gap after e-cigarettes were brought under tobacco regulation.
Market
Jul.03 by 2Firsts Perspectives
Special Report|U.S.-Facing Retailer Lists RELX Creator Pro 15K: A Chinese Brand Signal Under FDA’s Lower-Priority Enforcement Window
Special Report|U.S.-Facing Retailer Lists RELX Creator Pro 15K: A Chinese Brand Signal Under FDA’s Lower-Priority Enforcement Window
Vapesourcing has listed RELX Creator Pro 15K as “Coming Soon” with U.S. warehouse shipping options; while the page does not show that RELX has entered the U.S. market through official channels or that the product has received FDA authorization, the listing suggests that Chinese brand-led ENDS products are becoming a new point of observation as the U.S. market reassesses regulatory risk following the FDA’s updated enforcement-priority policy.
Industry Insight
Jun.11