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  • $3.2M Illicit Vape Ring Using Fishing Boats Busted in Taiwan

    $3.2M Illicit Vape Ring Using Fishing Boats Busted in Taiwan

    Prosecutors in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, indicted five suspects over a major tobacco smuggling operation uncovered in August, involving contraband cigarettes and heated tobacco products transported by fishing vessels. Authorities seized more than one million packages of undeclared tobacco products worth an estimated NT$100 million ($3.2 million), marking one of the largest busts in the city’s history.

    The operation followed months of surveillance by a joint task force comprising police, coast guard personnel, and prosecutors, who tracked three fishing boats suspected of collecting illicit cargo from foreign vessels outside Taiwan’s territorial waters before docking at Singda Harbor.

    All seized products were confiscated, and the suspects—three boat captains and two truck drivers—were indicted for violating the Tobacco and Alcohol Administration Act, prosecutors said.

  • Poland Moves to Close Excise Loophole on Induction Vapes

    Poland Moves to Close Excise Loophole on Induction Vapes

    Poland’s Ministry of Finance proposed amendments to the Excise Duty Act to close a tax loophole affecting new types of e-cigarettes that use electromagnetic induction technology. The draft, published this week, updates the legal definition of e-cigarettes so that induction-based devices—previously classified as neither disposable nor reusable—can be subject to excise duty. The changes respond to products that entered the Polish market in September 2025 and were taxed at lower rates under existing rules.

    Under the proposal, excise taxation would be determined by the presence of a ferromagnetic element connected to a tank or device, rather than by whether the product produces aerosol via a traditional electric heater. Most induction-based e-cigarette components would be taxed at PLN 40 per unit. Tanks connected to ferromagnetic elements would be classified as e-cigarettes, while refillable containers would be treated as reusable e-cigarettes and non-refillable ones as disposable products, with higher excise applied to the liquid content.

    The Ministry said the amendment is necessary to ensure equal taxation across comparable nicotine products and prevent revenue losses. If adopted, the revised rules would enter into force 14 days after the law is officially published.

  • Kyrgyzstan Bans Vape Imports

    Kyrgyzstan Bans Vape Imports

    The Kyrgyz Cabinet of Ministers approved a six-month temporary ban on the import of electronic cigarettes and their cartridges, according to a new government decree. The restriction will take effect 15 days after its official publication and is aimed at curbing nicotine addiction and reducing the growing use of e-cigarettes, particularly among young people. Authorities said the rapid spread of electronic cigarettes among youth in recent years has raised serious public health concerns, prompting the move to limit the uncontrolled entry of these products into the country.

    The decision aligns Kyrgyzstan with a broader regional trend, as Kazakhstan imposed a full ban on the sale and advertising of e-cigarettes in June 2024, while Uzbekistan introduced restrictions on their distribution starting in November 2025.

  • JTI Tabs Nelt Group for Albanian Distribution

    JTI Tabs Nelt Group for Albanian Distribution

    Japan Tobacco International (JTI) tabbed Serbian logistics company Nelt Group to handle its distribution in Albania, the company said yesterday (December 22). The partnership has led to the creation of 50 new jobs, according to Nelt’s executive director for the Albanian market, Alban Ujkashej.

    Nelt said the move marks a shift in its business model in Albania, with a dedicated local team established to support the distribution agreement. JTI noted that the partnership strengthens its market position in Albania and builds on existing cooperation with Nelt in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Founded in 1992, Nelt Group operates in 14 countries and expects revenue to rise 9% in 2025 to €1.5 billion.

  • BAT Piloting Facial Age Verification in Italy

    BAT Piloting Facial Age Verification in Italy

    BAT Italia announced that it is partnering with digital identity firm Yoti to pilot facial age-verification technology aimed at preventing minors from purchasing nicotine products. The collaboration uses Yoti’s age-estimation service, which verifies whether a customer is over 18 through facial scanning without storing images or identifying individuals, in line with privacy regulations. The testing phase has begun in 119 BAT pop-up stores across Italy. Customers scan a QR code with their smartphone to initiate the process, adding an additional layer to standard ID checks. BAT said the system is designed to strengthen responsible sales practices for nicotine products.

    According to BAT, data from an earlier rollout in Croatia showed a 99% accuracy rate. BAT Italia said the introduction of the technology supports compliance with age-restriction laws and reflects the company’s stated commitment to preventing youth access to nicotine products.

  • France Seizes 15 Tons of Tobacco in International Ring Bust

    France Seizes 15 Tons of Tobacco in International Ring Bust

    French authorities dismantled an international tobacco trafficking network linked to Bulgarian nationals following a year-long investigation that began in July 2024 with the seizure of 15 tons of illicit cigarettes in western France. The operation uncovered a structured smuggling route moving illegal cigarettes from Italy and Bulgaria through France to Belgium. Investigators later seized 450 kg of cigarettes and 14.7 tons of raw tobacco at a warehouse near Brussels.

    Earlier this month, police arrested the suspected convoy organizer and two lorry drivers, confiscating nearly 30 tons of counterfeit cigarettes from two trucks. Six people associated with this network have been charged with organized tobacco trafficking, criminal conspiracy, and money laundering, with three Bulgarian suspects placed in provisional detention.

  • Vietnam Pinpoints Fines for Vape, HTP Users

    Vietnam Pinpoints Fines for Vape, HTP Users

    Vietnam’s Ministry of Justice released a draft decree outlining administrative penalties for the use of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products, implementing National Assembly Resolution No. 173/2024/QH15. Under the proposal, individuals caught using e-cigarettes or heated tobacco products would face fines of VND 3–5 million ($114–$190), along with confiscation and destruction of the products. Property owners or managers who allow such use on their premises would face higher fines of VND 5–10 million ($190–$380).

    The draft also introduces stricter enforcement for minors and businesses. Minors aged 16 to under 18 who use tobacco products would be fined VND 200,000–500,000 ($7.60–$19), replacing the previous warning-based approach. Meanwhile, manufacturers or distributors that fail to comply with health warning label requirements could be fined up to VND 30 million ($1,140). The decree is intended to support Vietnam’s comprehensive ban on e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products starting in 2025.

  • UK Seized 1.2M Illicit Vapes in 2025

    UK Seized 1.2M Illicit Vapes in 2025

    New figures from UK local councils show that authorities seized an average of two illegal vapes every minute in 2025, removing around 1.2 million illicit devices from high streets nationwide. More than 14,000 enforcement cases were logged involving businesses caught possessing, stocking or selling illegal vaping products, reflecting a sharp rise in unlawful nicotine goods entering local retail outlets.

    Over the past year, enforcement teams also confiscated 7.15 million illegal cigarettes, 257,000 illegal disposable vapes and nearly 10,000 nicotine pouches. Consumer confusion remains widespread, with 54% of UK vapers saying they believe they have unknowingly bought illegal products.

    The data, compiled by online retailer Vape Club through freedom of information requests to local councils and a survey of 2,000 vapers, found that suspected illegal products were most often bought from convenience stores (36%), followed by vape shops (33%) and market stalls or street traders (26%). Vape Club director Dan Marchant said the trade in non-compliant products is damaging the industry’s reputation and called for tougher enforcement against rogue sellers.

  • Michigan Senate Advances Bill to License Tobacco Retailers

    Michigan Senate Advances Bill to License Tobacco Retailers

    The Michigan Senate today (December 26) passed bipartisan legislation aimed at reducing youth tobacco use by requiring all tobacco retailers in the state to be licensed. Sponsored by Senate Majority Floor Leader Sam Singh (D–East Lansing) and co-sponsored by Sen. Joseph Bellino (R–Monroe), Senate Bills 462 and 465 would establish a statewide regulatory framework similar to those already in place in most other U.S. states. Michigan is currently one of only nine states without a tobacco retail licensing requirement.

    The legislation would introduce regular inspections of tobacco retailers, increase penalties for selling tobacco products to minors, regulate online and delivery sales, ban flash sales, and create a dedicated state fund to support enforcement. The bills now move to the Michigan House for consideration, where companion legislation was introduced earlier this week.

  • France Suspends Decree Banning Nicotine Pouches

    France Suspends Decree Banning Nicotine Pouches

    France’s Council of State suspended a government decree that would have banned the manufacture, sale, and export of nicotine pouches from April 2026, pending a full legal review. The decision follows a challenge by EVLB Group, which argued the decree violated EU free trade rules and gave manufacturers insufficient time to reorganize operations. The court agreed, ruling that companies should have been granted a longer transition period and suspending the decree until a final judgment, expected by June 2026.

    The Council of State noted, however, that the marketing of nicotine pouches is already prohibited under France’s Public Health Code outside pharmaceutical use, meaning the suspension is unlikely to change current retail conditions. The Health Ministry said it takes note of the ruling and emphasized that the ban on marketing and possession remains in effect for now, while industry groups welcomed the pause as an opportunity for a more thorough review of the products.