Ganzhou, Jiangxi Cracks Major Illegal E-Cigarette Production Case: 14 Arrested, More Than RMB 10 Mil

Fourteen suspects were apprehended at the scene, three vehicles involved in the case were seized, and authorities confiscated 97,257 non-compliant e-cigarettes, 13 barrels of e-liquid, 10 production and packaging machines, as well as a quantity of raw materials and packaging supplies, with a total case value exceeding RMB 10 million... Recently, under the command and coordination of the inspection detachment of the Ganzhou Tobacco Monopoly Bureau, the Zhanggong District Tobacco Monopoly Bureau, together with the Economic Development Zone Public Security Bureau, dispatched more than 80 police officers and tobacco enforcement personnel to bust an illegal e-cigarette production site. This case is the largest illegal e-cigarette production case handled by the Ganzhou Tobacco Monopoly Bureau in recent years in terms of both scale and number of suspects involved, successfully cutting off an illegal chain of e-cigarette production, storage, transportation, and sales.

Special Rectification and Clue Identification

Since March this year, in accordance with the unified deployment of the Jiangxi Provincial Tobacco Monopoly Bureau, the Ganzhou Tobacco Monopoly Bureau has carried out a citywide special inspection campaign to regulate the order of the e-cigarette market. While verifying the operations of 173 existing e-cigarette market entities across the city, monopoly officers also carefully collected clues related to e-cigarette cases.

“Here’s a recruitment ad for e-cigarette work.” In his spare time, an inspector from the Ganzhou Tobacco Monopoly Bureau happened to come across a recruitment ad for an e-cigarette processing factory while browsing Douyin. His long experience in monopoly enforcement immediately put him on alert. Recalling that just days earlier they had received a public tip claiming that a company in the Economic Development Zone was illegally producing e-cigarettes, he immediately reported the lead to his superiors and requested that an investigation be initiated.

The image shows monopoly inspectors examining the seized non-compliant e-cigarettes

After receiving the clue, the inspection detachment of the Ganzhou Tobacco Monopoly Bureau promptly made a special report to the bureau’s principal leaders and responsible leaders. “We must fully implement the State Tobacco Monopoly Administration’s overall planning approach for the e-cigarette industry, resolutely carry out the law-based and standardized regulatory deployment for e-cigarettes, and, with the goal of regulating the e-cigarette market order, move quickly, cut off the chain, achieve results, and create deterrence,” a relevant official from the Ganzhou Tobacco Monopoly Bureau said.

Afterward, the inspection detachment immediately convened relevant case-handling personnel to carry out information analysis. Once the direction of the information was confirmed, a special task force was established to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the lead.

Data-Led Investigation and Identification of the Principal Suspect

To ensure the case could be investigated smoothly, while organizing monopoly personnel to screen clues, the Ganzhou Tobacco Monopoly Bureau also held a case analysis meeting with the local public security bureau at the earliest opportunity and requested that police intervene in advance.

At the case analysis meeting, staff from the Ganzhou Tobacco Monopoly Bureau’s e-cigarette supervision office gave a detailed introduction to the e-cigarette “1+2+N” law-based regulatory system, the current tobacco department measures for e-cigarette price assessment and testing, and the current issuance of production and operation licenses for e-cigarette enterprises in Ganzhou.

The image shows the illegal e-cigarette production site

After learning the case details and clarifying the investigative approach, the Ganzhou Tobacco Monopoly Bureau and the public security bureau established a joint special task force to further step up the investigation, striving for a fast and effective case process while ensuring the case was handled thoroughly and professionally.

“We analyzed these individuals’ WeChat and call records and can confirm that he is the person in charge of this site, responsible for assembling personnel and organizing production.” Inspectors from the Ganzhou Tobacco Monopoly Bureau worked with police officers to carry out extensive data analysis and, combined with information sent back from the scene, gradually clarified the personnel structure within the production site.

“We must determine this person’s range of activities and routine. When we move in, we absolutely cannot let him escape.” After receiving clear information, the captain of the Ganzhou Public Security Bureau’s public order brigade immediately reinforced police deployment, placed the suspect under round-the-clock surveillance, and arranged for enforcement personnel to continue the外围 investigation, focusing on the site’s production situation to prevent any sudden relocation.

Clear Objectives and a Successful Takedown

“The production site is on the fourth floor, so we also need to give special consideration to safety. During the operation, we must not allow the people on site to scatter too much, and we must ensure the personal safety of both enforcement personnel and suspects,” the responsible leader of the Ganzhou Public Security Bureau emphasized while convening the task force to formulate the action plan. #p#Page Title#e#

“We recommend that when the evidence preservation team collects evidence, they quickly secure communication devices, receipts, account books, computers, and other items to facilitate further clarification of the case,” added the captain of the inspection detachment of the Ganzhou Tobacco Monopoly Bureau.

Based on the actual conditions at the scene and after fully considering various factors, the joint task force finalized the action plan, setting up on-site command, evidence preservation, personnel control, and item inventory groups, and further clarifying the leaders and specific division of responsibilities for each group.

The image shows some of the non-compliant e-cigarettes seized at the scene

On April 6, after confirming that all major suspects were within the control perimeter, more than 80 police officers and tobacco enforcement personnel moved into action and rushed to the scene. With clear objectives and full coordination, each group pressed ahead, ultimately destroying this illegal e-cigarette production site in one fell swoop.

In recent years, the Ganzhou Tobacco Monopoly Bureau has taken the initiative rather than waiting passively, achieving outstanding results in cracking down on various illegal activities involving e-cigarettes. Since 2021, it has investigated and handled 30 e-cigarette-related illegal cases, including four illegal e-cigarette production cases, effectively safeguarding the order of the Ganzhou e-cigarette market. (Zhang Shuai, Chen Bin, Li Quan)