About 3.3 percent of surveilled retail outlets in Miami-Dade County and Broward County were found to be selling illicit Juul Labs products during a recent enforcement campaign by the company.
Juul Labs’ Brand Protection Team investigated 917 retailers in the Florida counties, which are near a U.S. port of entry and international mailing facility—known entry points for the importation of illicit products. With the support of a third-party compliance auditor, the team conducted product surveillance and obtained samples across retailers. The samples were then evaluated to determine whether they were illicit products.
Of the 30 outlets in South Florida selling illicit products, six outlets sold counterfeit Juul pods, primarily offered in illegally marketed flavors, while one sold counterfeit Juul devices. Ten outlets sold diverted Juul pods, primarily diverted from Canadian and Russian markets, and 13 outlets sold illegal and unauthorized compatible pods, with most of these compatible brands subject to International Trade Commission exclusion orders.
Juul Labs said it would deliver its findings to law enforcement authorities and support their efforts to bring legal action. “We need to be a responsible and trusted steward of vapor products,” said Adrian Punderson, vice president of brand protection at Juul Labs, in a statement. “As such, it is our obligation to support enforcement against illicit and illegal products as we strive to reset the vapor category and earn a license to operate in society.”