Key takeaway: On April 20, sources from the Russian Nicotine Alliance said authorities in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast seized a batch of imported tobacco products lacking the required 'Honest Sign' labeling, with an estimated value of 50 million rubles.
On April 20, 2Firsts learned from the Russian Nicotine Alliance that a batch of imported tobacco products without the "Honest Sign" label was seized in Russia's Nizhny Novgorod region. The products involved in the case were valued at 50 million rubles (approximately RMB 4.22 million).It is reported that customs officers seized a total of 74,000 individual packages, including e-liquid for e-cigarettes, tobacco products, hookah mixtures, and more.The customs authorities have opened a criminal case under Article 171.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (storage and sale of unmarked tobacco products), and the investigation is ongoing.According to relevant regulations issued by Russian government authorities, starting March 1, businesses engaged in the wholesale import of e-cigarettes are required to upload the retail information of related products to the Honest Sign system. As of April 1, Russia's transition period for the mandatory implementation of the Honest Sign policy at the wholesale level has ended. From that point on, unlabeled e-cigarette products can no longer clear Russian customs.
