WPBN: Over the past year, Chicago-based U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers have reported 121 seizures of prohibited Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS), marking a substantial enforcement action. Over 3.2 million illicit devices totaling an estimated $81.5 million were seized in these operations.
This accomplishment demonstrates CBP‘s continued efforts to stop the unauthorized entry of products that are forbidden into the US.
Most of the goods that were intercepted came from China and were headed to different parts of the United States. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) enforces the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA), which these shipments were determined to be in violation of.
In order to guarantee that goods like electronic nicotine devices fulfill safety requirements and are lawfully permitted for sale in the US market, this law controls their importation and distribution.
Many of the seized shipments were determined to violate intellectual property rights (IPR) in addition to FDA prohibitions. Unauthorized trademarks and branding that mimicked well-known pop culture symbols were present on these products.
Targeting minors and encouraging illicit nicotine use are major concerns raised by the use of such trademarks, which seemed to be a conscious attempt to appeal to teens and young people.
The significant amount and worth of these illicit shipments highlight the ongoing difficulty in stopping the entry of illegal and counterfeit ENDS into the nation.
In order to safeguard the public’s health and guarantee adherence to federal regulations, CBP agents maintain a tight working relationship with the FDA and other regulatory bodies.
“It is common for bad actors to use popular people and brands to promote their products. In a couple of these instances, they used the name of an influencer with a large following specifically targeting the younger audience,” LaFonda Sutton-Burke, director of field operations at Chicago Field Office stated.
Another product that was seized by Customs and Border Patrol was one that did not have the necessary marketing permission from the FDA. Electronic cigarettes, vapes, and other nicotine delivery methods that have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) may contain higher concentrations of nicotine in addition to other unknown and potentially harmful compounds.
“Criminals are using every means imaginable to expand the reach of their illicit enterprises,” Mike Pfeiffer, Chicago Area Port Director stated. “The sales from illegal goods are used to fuel further criminal activities such as the trafficking of drugs, defrauding innocent people and purchases of illegal weapons.”
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Every year, the United States Customs and Border Protection seizes millions of counterfeit items from countries all over the world in order to protect American consumers and businesses.
Among the items that have been counterfeited include cell phones, technological devices, clothing, footwear, luxury items, and cosmetics. Other products, such as bicycle helmets, medical gadgets, and supplements, do not fulfill the safety regulations that are in place in the United States.
“CBP’s trade enforcement mission places a significant emphasis on intercepting illicit products that could harm American consumers,” according to Sutton-Burke. “We will continue to work with our consumer product safety partners to identify and seize unsafe and unlawful goods.”
