Nanning, Guangxi cracks major illegal online vape sales case worth over RMB 30 million

To further combat illegal operations in the electronic cigarette industry and create a favorable market environment, the Guangxi Nanning Tobacco Monopoly Bureau has taken strong measures to continuously rectify the illegal sale of non-standard electronic cigarettes. Recently, they uncovered a major online sales case involving illegal electronic cigarettes, with a total value exceeding 30 million RMB, making it the largest case in the region to date.

The image shows the seized illegal electronic cigarettes. Photo by Huang Bi.

In early July, the Nanning Bureau received tips from the public indicating that some individuals with electronic cigarette licenses were selling non-standard electronic cigarettes. Based on this information, the Nanning Tobacco Monopoly Bureau's inspection team immediately conducted an investigation and formed a special task force with the Nanning Public Security Bureau's Nanhu Branch. A network of individuals, including Deng Mouqiang, who were secretly selling non-standard electronic cigarettes both online and offline through their physical stores, gradually came to light.

After three months of investigation and evidence collection, the task force discovered that Deng Mouqiang and others were wholesaling large quantities of electronic cigarette products from Shenzhen and Dongguan in Guangdong to Nanning, selling them through their physical stores online and offline. To evade inspections, the non-standard electronic cigarettes were stored in residential building storage rooms and homes.

On September 25, the task force conducted a crackdown on this criminal group, seizing a batch of non-standard electronic cigarette products at six locations in Nanning's Qingxiu District, Xingning District, and Xixiangtang District, including 227,200 cartridges, 12,600 smoking devices, and 8,030 disposable electronic cigarettes, totaling 247,800 electronic cigarette products. The physical goods were valued at approximately 9.94 million RMB, and six individuals involved were arrested on-site. According to police statistics, the group was involved in over 30 million RMB worth of illegal activities, and the individuals have been criminally detained.

The image shows some of the illegal electronic cigarettes seized at the scene. Photo by Huang Bi.

Currently, the case has been filed for investigation by the Nanning Public Security Department for suspected illegal production and sale of counterfeit products, and further efforts will be made to deepen the investigation and protect the public from the harm of illegal electronic cigarettes.